


And I call you my brother

by Arithra



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Best Friends, Canon Rewrite, Friendship, Gen, Male Friendship, Male Protagonist, Multi, Multiple Pairings, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-04
Updated: 2014-08-26
Packaged: 2018-01-07 08:55:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 34,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1117967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arithra/pseuds/Arithra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Percy met the guy who would be his best friend for the rest of his life, he was nine – nearly ten – years old and standing in front of a whole class full of children his age since he had just changed schools again. Percy / Leo friendship, no bashing, a retelling of the story with Leo as Percy best friend from the very beginning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Which Percy makes a friend

**Chapter 1: In Which Percy makes a friend**

The first time Percy met the guy who would be his best friend for the rest of his life, he was nine – nearly ten – years old and standing in front of a whole class full of children his age.

They were all staring at him, making him feel vaguely uncomfortable. Not that Percy could blame them he would probably stare as well if he was in a class that suddenly got a new student at the end of the of the school year.

It wasn't like Percy had gotten expelled on purpose, and neither was it his fault that the school all those kids, an now him, where attention claimed to be a good school for troubled kids. One of the few ones that accepted transfers during term.

The students should be used to it.

It was a thought, even if it wasn't a very comforting one, because they obviously weren't.

The teachers hand felt heavy on his shoulder and he fought the urge to shake it off. It wouldn't do to give a bad first impression – Percy knew himself well enough to know that he would need all the brownie points he could get.

„This is Percy Jackson, he will be joining our class as off today."

The teachers was introducing him and Percy wasn't quite sure what to do. He never was.

He had been in this situation before, quite a number of times really, since trouble seemed to follow him around and he had already changed school quite a number of times after he wasn't welcome at his old ones anymore.

Should he wave? They would probably think he was some kind of baby.

Give a cool nod? His first impression as a stuck up jerk would be cemented.

So he did what he had done the other times as well: He smiled.

It was the best he could do, even if Percy was quite sure that his smiled must have turned out vaguely constipated at best.

Someone snickered and Percy wished the teacher would allow him to sit down already. Never had he wanted a class to begin so badly.

The teachers hand remained firmly on his shoulder however and he continued to talk.

„Percy has ADHD and dyslexia, so I trust you will do your best to support him and help him keep up in class."

Forget about the class beginning. Percy wanted it to be over. He wanted to go home to his mum and tell her he wanted to go to another school.

The students muttered among themselves and Percy could see the teacher frown from the corner of his eye. Just as the man – Mr Simpson, Percy remembered he had introduced himself as Mr Simpson – opened his mouth to speak again one of his classmates spoke up.

„Why do we always get the loosers? First Valdez and now this guy..."

The last part was said quieter then the rest but it was still clearly understandable, even above the mutters of agreement from some of his classmates.

The boy who had spoken up was obviously one of the leaders of the class. Even while he was sitting Percy could tell that he was probably nearly a head taller then him and he was pretty good looking. Blond hair, that looked artfully tussled and he had a lucky face.

The kind of face that just looks right: nose, forehead, eyes – which were blue – chin... everything fit together. The one thing that ruined it – at least in Percy opinion – was the smirk – that one was nasty.

Percy felt a stirring of unease. He had met guys like that before and the last one that he met had been the reason Percy had gotten expelled from his last school.

The teachers cleared his throat clearly not happy with the classes reaction to his announcement. Percy wondered what kind of reaction the man had expected.

"Silence."

It took three more calls for the class to finally settle down again all while Percy was forced to stand in front of them next to the teachers whose hand on his shoulder did still keep him fixed in place.

Percy would rather be anywhere but there so to distract him he took a look at the other children that would be his classmates for the coming year – and hopefully longer.

There were quite a few more boys in the class this girls, but as far as Percy could tell none of them were paying him any attention. In the last row two of them were huddled together over something that seemed to be a magazine.

Another group of them sitting behind the boy who had spoken up and caused the uproar was admiring the boy and giggling among themselves.

In the front row there was girl that was frowning heavily, watching her classmates with disapproval clear on her face.

There were some others as well, but they were either busing themselves with other things or watching the happenings with clear amusement.

Most of the boys were waiting for something to happen, judging by the big grin on the blond haired boys face, their hopes would not be in vain.

One of the boys, a latino with curly black hair – and if Percys eyes weren't playing tricks on him then his ears really were pointed., who was sitting in the last row was fiddling with something that looked like a gameboy that had lost its cover and a screwdriver occasionally he would glance up to look out of the window or tap his fingers against his desk.

The seat next to him was empty and Percy was pretty sure it would be his as soon as the uproar died down a little and the teacher got the class under control again.

A seat in the last row, at the very back of the class, with his back to the wall and the window on his left. It seemed like a pretty cool place to sit and Percy could not help but wonder why no one had claimed that place. Sitting in the back was usually pretty popular after all. Percy liked sitting in the back just fine, but he also knew that it was a whole lot more difficult to pay attention when the teacher did not pay all that much attention to you.

Percy wouldn't bring it up though. Wanting to sit in the front row, especially if you went as far as to ask the teacher to place you there was the best way to make yourself the prime target of bullies.

It hadn't happened to Percy yet, but he had seen it happen.

And that was one kind of trouble he was capable of avoiding.

Mr Simpson had finally gotten the class under control again and Percy could pretty much see how his school year was going to turn out.

It was difficult enough to listen to halfway competent teachers, but listening to a teacher who took several minutes to get a class full of nine and ten years old under control?

That was going to be one hell of a challenge.

Normally Percy liked challenges just fine, at least as long as there was a possibility that he would actually be able to win them and this did not seem to be the case this time.

"Alright then."

The teacher glared at the class, especially the boy who had started the commotion. It did have absolutely no effect.

"Mr. Jackson."

He gestured towards the empty seat next to the Latino boy.

"If you would sit down next to Mr. Valdez."

Percy nodded and pushed all reservations about sitting in the back out of his mind. For now he was simply glad that he was finally allowed to sit down.

The boy, Valdez, did not look up from what he was doing as Percy made his way across the room towards his newly assigned seat.

He actually only seemed to notice Percy when he flopped down in the seat, which caused him to look up and look at Percy in surprise.

"I should have guessed they would put you here."

His voice was dry, but he seemed amused, Percy grinned trying to figure out how to handle this.

"Your a seer then? I mean with all the possibilities..."

The others boys grin got wider.

"Leo Valdez. Nice to meet you."

Percy nodded glad that the other boy was friendly and not a prat like the blond haired one whose name Percy still hadn't gotten.

"Nice to meet you too."

Leo was silent for a moment and when he spoke again he looked vaguely sheepish.

"So... What was your name again?"

Percy grinned at him, it seemed like his earlier assumption about the boys lack of attention was spot on.

"It's Percy Jackson."

He shook the outstretched hand and answered the boys grin with one of his own.

"Jackson?"

Leo seemed puzzled.

"You sure the teacher didn't say Jason?"

Percy blinked once, twice and then nodded slowly.

"Pretty sure yeah."

"Oh."

Now it was apparently Leos turn to blink.

"Sorry man, I wasn't really paying attention."

Percy grinned.

"No problem. I know the problem."

Leo nodded still looking at Percy but his hands were still working on the little screws on the gameboy unscrewing them with practical ease.

"The teacher said that as well I think. ADHD and Dyslexia yeah?"

Percy nodded wondering how the other boy was going to react.

"Yeah."

Leo grinned. It was a big grin and very friendly. And very much not the reaction Percy usually got.

"That's cool man. I never met another one."

He put down his little screwdriver and held out his hand for Percy to shake.

"Welcome to the club."

Percy had reached out to shake the offered hand but then he froze.

"There is a club?"

Leo blinked at him his hand falling onto the tabletop.

"No. No I don't think so."

He looked Percy up and down carefully.

"That is unless you want to make one?"

Percy shook his head.

"No I'm good."

Leo seemed to nod in agreement and Percy remembered that he never came around to shaking the other boys hand. This time it was Percy who held out his hand.

Leo looked surprised for a moment before grinning and reaching out to shake his hand, the screwdriver that he had already picked up again in hand.

"Mr Jackson, Mr Valdez, if you could pay attention?"

Hands still linked their gazes snapped to the front of the room where the teacher was standing, looking vaguely amused.

"I would like to start the lesson now."

Both boys nodded perfectly synchronized and forced themselves to listen at least for a moment.

Even if neither of them knew it then, this was the start of a wonderful friendship and a whole lot of trouble.


	2. In which Leo gets adopted

**2\. In which Leo gets adopted**

When Percy had joined his class the the beginning of the years Leo had been surprised to find that he got along with the other boy really well and not only that: Percy got along with him as well. Not that Leo usually had problems with getting along with others. He liked people just fine, interacting with them not so much.

It did not help at all that additionally to his social deficiencies he also had a severe case of ADHD and Dyslexia.

Intellectually he had always been aware of the fact that he was not the only one, his mother had said so, but actually meeting another kid that had to deal with the same stuff that Leo did was kinda refreshing.

He liked talking to Percy, not only could the other kid follow along when Leo switched from topic to topic without pause, he also didn't mind when Leos attention wandered when they were talking.

It would have been hypocritical of him and Leo was glad to learn that Percy wasn't a hypocrite.

Unfortunately they did not have all that much in common outside of that. Sure they like the same video games and would always prefer the movie over a book, no matter how much the movie makers messed up the plot, but that was mostly because neither of them was fond of books to begin with.

Even before his mother had died Leo had never been all that good at making friends. Oh of course he was friendly enough and at first everything was great, but the thing was that humans simply did not manage to hold Leos attention like machines did.

Whenever he found a contraption particularly interesting he would forget about the people around him. And that was something that other people usually weren't okay with.

So when it happened the first time – in the middle of a conversation no less – Leo was surprised the Percy had not stalked off in a huff, like some of the other kids had done when Leo had done so in their presence.

Instead Percy was still sitting next to him doodling on a sheet of paper. Leo couldn't make out what the other boy was drawing – Percy obviously wasn't all that good at it – but from the color scheme Leo was pretty sure it was ocean related. With a lot of imagination one of those colored blobs could be a seashell. Unless Percy decided to try his hand at expressionism and was drawing... something else.

One could never be all that sure when it came to expressionism.

But that wasn't really important. What was important was the fact that Percy was still there. Sitting next to him on the bench on the playground where they had met up that afternoon.

“Percy?”

The other boy was obviously not as immersed his work as Leo had been in his own, because he reacted immediately when Leo addressed him.

“Ah Leo.”

Percy grinned.

“Joined the world of the living again, have you?”

It was said teasingly without any malice and Leo was even more confused. It wasn't like he believed Percy to be a malicious person but he had expected at least some annoyance.

“Yeah...”

He nodded again but did not get to day more as Percy interrupted him.

“So my mum wants to know if you want to join us for lunch tomorrow. Smelly Gabe isn't home, so it would be a great time.”

Leo felt guild rise up and he cleared his throat.

“I'm sorry.”

Percy blinked obviously surprised but then she shrugged looking a bit disappointed but not offended.

“Well it's okay. I mean it's tomorrow after all, can't be helped if you already have plans.”

It took Leo longer then he would admit to figure out what Percy was referring to and it did not help his feelings of guilt at all.

“That's not what I mean!”

Frustrated he ran a hand through his hair. It was something he hadn't done for quite a while. Not since Aunt Rosa... he didn't allow thing to touch him like that anymore.

Percy seemed surprised by Leos reaction.

“Okay... then what do you mean?”

He was looking at Leo as if he had said something really strange and if Leo had thought Percy to be a more malicious person then maybe the thought that Percy was doing this on purpose to get him to apologize, would not be so unbelievable to him.

The thing was that Leo was pretty sure Percy really had no idea what Leo was apologizing for if the look on his face was any indication.

“I'm sorry for ignoring you. I get like that sometimes and I'm sorry I didn't mean to ignore you.”

Percy blinked at him and his expression settled into something that Leo was pretty sure was best described as incredulity.

Silence reigned between them for a moment and Leo held his breath wondering how his friend – and Leo did hope that Percy still was his friend – was going to react.

“Uhm.”

It seemed like Percy had come to a decision on what to do. Leo could not help but wonder what was going to happen, he could not read the expression on the other boys face completely since he was pretty sure Percy would not be feeling something that was a mixture of puzzlement and amusement.

“Okay. I guess it's fine. I mean it's not like it was a problem to begin with.”

It seemed however, that puzzlement and amusement fit the bill much better then Leo had expected. Leo did not reacted and Percy who seemed to be getting a little uncomfortable under his stare hasted to continue.

“It's fine really. I mean I get like that too sometimes. And it's not like you were trying to be mean... right?”

Leo nodded in agreement and Percys grin got wider.

“So it's perfectly cool.”

Leo nodded and felt heat rising on his cheeks. It seemed like he had made out a big deal out of something that Percy had not thought to be a problem at all.

Nervously he fiddled with his screwdriver, not knowing what to say now until Percys next question made him relax again. The whole matter pushed aside, but not forgotten.

“So that means your free tomorrow?”

Percys easy acceptance of his not so endearing quirks, was probably the main reason, or at least one of them, that the only thing Leo would do whenever Percy got lost while swimming or staring at the ocean in the coming years, was roll his eyes and wait for his friend to snap out of it.

It was simply returning a favor.

Leo grinned when he answered.

“Sure.”

–

Sally Jackson, Percys mom, turned out to be a surprise.

Leo had never been overly fond of any adult except for his own mother, the actions of the adults that he had met after his mother death and not really endeared them to him either.

If nothing else his various faster parents and especially his aunt Rosa had actually only made it worth.

So it came as quite a surprise when he found himself genuinely liking Sally Jackson. She was friendly and kind, obviously concerned for him despite this being the first time meeting him without being pushy.

There was something about here that put people at ease.

She had greeted him and Percy in the doorway, delicious smell waffling out of the door into the hallway and welcomed him into her home.

The food had been great too, even if she had made sure that he did finish his vegetables, no one but his mother had ever made him do that and while Leo had felt a little wrong footed he had obeyed.

And despite the foot being blue – Percy had told him that it was a joke between him and his mum – it had been delicious.

The joke was apparently also against his stepfather, at first Leo had thought it to be an innocent squabble, but something about Percys expression convinced him otherwise.

Smelly Gabe did not seem to be a pleasant person and Leo could not help but wonder why a woman like Sally would marry and then stay married to a man like that.

The conversation was flowing without trouble, though Leo could not help but shake the feeling that Sally had looked at him strangely when he had told her that he had ADHD and Dyslexia as well.

Later when he confessed to not having a dad, she seemed resigned, Leo pushed that though aside though. It did not help him to think about his family none of them mattered anymore.

All in all the evening was the most pleasant one Leo had had in a long time and when his current foster mother came by to pick him up, he really did not want to leave.

He had felt more at home at the Jackson dinning table then he had anywhere after his mother had died. It felt like he could just be himself.

No would would look at him strangely for making a comment.

Still he got up, thanked Sally for the invitation and told Percy he would see him at school.

–

Leo was glad to have found a friend like Percy, but part of him did not really believe it would last. His aunt Rosa had told him that he deserved all the bad things that happened to him, and Leo feared that somewhere down the line he had started believing her.

So when the trip to the Aquarium fell into the water, literally not figuratively, he knew that his short reprieve was over.

  
  


The day hadn't really started out all that bad. They had met before the school prior to getting into the bus that would drive them towards their destination.

Percy was bouncing in his seat, which was a little disturbing since despite the two of them having ADHD Leo usually was the more bouncy one, and babbling about the aquarium.

Leo figured his friend liked sea animals a lot. It was an enthusiasm that he did neither share nor understand, but Percy put up with him when he was geeking about about one machine or another so Leo was sure he could do the same thing.

It was not only the day that had started out well, the trip did as well.

They arrived at their destination without trouble and the guide made things surprisingly interesting. Leo found himself fascinated and Percy was pretty much staring at the sharks that were paying a disturbing amount of attention to them.

So far nothing had happened however and for a school trip it was pretty cool.

Things unfortunately started going wrong when their guide led them across the walkway of the biggest shark pool and Leo spotted the control panel. He knew it was a very bad idea long before he made his way over to study it but he simply could not help himself so he ambled towards it, turning away from the group. Percy followed after him, clearly curious what his friend was up to.

The console was a sleek little thing with lots of colorful buttons and various displays. Leo studied it and ran his fingers above the buttons trying to compartmentalize which button belonged to which function.

The one in the upper left corner stuck out immediately – as in: Don't touch me! I will only cause trouble.

Or at least that was the way Leos brain translated it for him. He noted that there was a plastic hinge next to it, but the plastic cover that was supposed to block the direct access to it was missing.

Leos inner geek bristled with outrage. How dare they keep their machines in anything but top condition?

Some of what he was feeling must have shown on his face since Percy bumped his shoulder against Leos.

“You alright man?”

He looked worried and Leo gave him a reassuring grin.

“Yeah... I'm fine.”

A mournful sign escaped his lips.

“This poor baby isn't though. They aren't taking proper care of her.”

To Percys credit the other boy did not seem to be freaked out by his strange behavior at all, instead he actually looked worried.

“Broken?”

Leo nodded and gestured to the space the plastic cover was supposed to be.

“Yes. And they did not even came up with a temporary cover...”

Though maybe he was being a bit to harsh on the people working here. Except for the plastic cover the machine seemed to be in a decent shape, not great, but not outrageously bad either.

Leos gaze continued over the console and he noted that there were several ways to lower the bride they were standing on, even of one excluded the no longer protected emergency button.

“Broken huh?”

Percy sounded intrigued, but Leo did not pay him much intention. He nodded simply and contemplated what would happen should the emergency button be pushed.

If he had gotten a correct read on the machine it would probably tilt the whole walkway vertically and slowly move it upwards.

Just then he noted that Percys hand was itching toward said button. Leos eyes widened and he knew what was about to happen.

It wasn't much of a surprise really. The button did look wonderfully pushable and interesting.

He opened his mouth to stop his friend but it was already to late. Percy pointer finger had found the button and pushed it down mercilessly.

Leo felt a moment of triumph as the walkway tilted sideways under his feet. It seemed like his prediction was indeed correct but his sudden celebrations were ended when he landed in the surprisingly warm water.

For a moment Leo felt a flash of panic, but before he could even figure out what to do next a hand sized his arms and hurled him upwards.

His head broke the surface and he was face to face with Percy who had apparently pulled him up. His friend did not seem to have gotten dunked like Leo had – his hair was dry.

So was his voice.

“Broken you said?”

Percy sounded vaguely amused and Leo grimaced slightly even if he could not quite suppress the grin that tugged on his lips.

“I meant the plastic coverage...”

Now it was Percys turn to make a face.

Leo looked around and took stock of the situation.

Apparently all of their class had been on the walkway and now they were all in the pool if the screeching and crying was any indication.

Something brushed by his leg and Leo looked down instinctively. Suddenly he quite understood the urge to scream to which some of is classmates seemed to have given in to.

The something that had brushed by his leg was a shark.

Right. This wasn't a people pool. This was a shark pool.

From the corner of his eye Leo noticed that Percy stiffened as well and he could make out more dark shaped under the water, but he did not turn as he was quite preoccupied with the shark right. by. His. Leg.

The shark butted his head against his leg and Leo fought down the urge to laugh hysterically.

Where was the rescue team?

To Leos relief the shark seemed to loose interest however was it swam away.

This day was not good at all, Leo decided, not the worst one he had so far, but definitely bad.

When Leo turned back around to make sure that Percy was alright as well he had to revise his opinion however:

His best friend was being surrounded by sharks and having a very curious expression it his face. He did not seem afraid though, more slightly incredulous and his eyes were wandering from shark to shark.

One of them butted his head against Percys shoulder and if Leo wasn't afraid for his friend he might have made a comment about the fact that they acted like cats brushing against someone.

Then the rescue team finally arrived and Leo was pulled out of the water.

Leo could practically feel the shock radiating from the man that had put him onto the small boat when his eyes fell on Percy.

The sharks did not like the new arrival however, they seemed to get agitated.

“I will be going then.”

It was Percy who spoke up and actually started to swim towards the boat. The man who had fished Leo from the water looked ready to have a heart attack, but he did grab Percys outstretched hand and pulled him onto the boat as well.

“Nice meeting you guys.”

The sharks still seemed to be looking at Percy for a moment but when the boat drifted towards them they dived down.

For the sake of the crew Leo decided not to comment on the fact that his best friend had talked to the sharks and given by his best friends expression he appreciated it.

The whole class was giving towels and told to dry themselves. It was then that Leo made an observation that changed this days classification to utterly ridiculous.

Percy was surprisingly dry, as in never been in the water dry, which made no sense at all and judging by his face Leo was not the only one who was surprised by this outcome.

Leo decided not to draw attention to it. Everyone had his quirks, Percys appeared to be water resistance and Leo would never be able to forget his own.

What were they? Mutants?

Percy seemed to share his incredulity as he sidled up close to Leo and tried to stay out of the other peoples line of sight, but Leo was sure that it was only a matter of time before they would be the center of attention.

A bad feeling settled in the pit of his stomach and when he shivered it had nothing to do with the fact that he was wet.

But while Leo was worried his best and very dry friend was looking disturbed and like he was close to crying.

“Percy is everything okay?”

Percy looked at him for a moment before answering.

“You didn't hear them?”

Leo blinked not sure what his friend was getting at. The only thing he had heard was the screaming of their classmates but somehow he did not think that Percy had been talking about that.

Said boy must have read his expression, because he shrugged and forced a smile on his face.

“Never mind.”

Leo opened his mouth to argue, because it was apparent that something had happened, but unfortunately their teacher called for them.

Both boys turned around to look at him, before exchanging a glance. It seemed like Leo had been spot on when he had talked about being the center of attention as all their classmates, their teacher and a fat guy Leo assumed to be this places director were glaring at them.

Percy cringed next to him and Leo pulled the towel tighter around his shoulders.

–

The end result was, of course, that they got expelled from school.

Leo feared that this was the last time he would see Percy. After all this trouble he would be moved to a new foster home. There was no way his current one was keeping him, which was kind of a shame since he had liked the family.

They weren't perfect, but instead of trying to correct his quirks they ignored them. Leo had considered that a big improvement.

Leo was pretty sure that the next family would not be as understanding. The day had started great but now he was not only loosing the semi decent family he had been with for almost a year now, but also the first real friend he had ever made.

In short, he was miserable.

So when Sally inquired which school he would now be attending so she could make sure she picked the right one for Percy, Leo decided that she was not only a great and sweet woman, but also his hero.

–

He did not know how it happened - it must have been a year since he first met Percy, and maybe three month since the shark incident – when he found himself sitting in the Jacksons living room together with Percy, waiting for Sally to come back from work.

He had just run away from his foster home and he had idea what to do. For some reason he did not quite understand he had made his way to Percys flat.

It was ridiculous, after all it was not like there was anything his friend could do, still as soon as his friend had opened the door he knew it was going to be better. Maybe even alright.

Percy upon seeing the look on Leos face had pulled him inside, sent him to take a shower and given him some of his clothes. He not asked what was wrong until he had made his best friend drink some hot chocolate.

Leo was pretty sure that he got his abilities of dealing with distressed people from his mum. After that he sat Leo down the couch and told him they would wait for his mum.

She would make everything alright. And somehow Leo believed him.

–

Believing Percy or not, Leo was very nervous when Sally stepped into the small flat and blinked surprised at the two boys waiting for her. They must make a curious sight Leo guessed.

Percy bouncing on his seat with a worried expression on his face and Leo in Percys to begin clothes with a blanked around him, and a miserable expression on his face.

At least he hoped he was looking miserable, the other possibility would be nauseous, it was also fitting, but not really what Leo wanted to look right now.

Sally was a nice person, Percys mum, she would not react like all the other adults at least that was what Leo was hoping for.

“Percy? Leo?”

She set down her handbag next to the door.

“What's wrong?”

Percy shrugged and Leo suddenly remembered that he hadn't told his best friend what had happened. He had simply turned up at his front porch and then sat silently on the couch for what felt like hours.

Instantly he felt guilt. No wonder Percy had seemed so nervous, whatever horror scenarios he had come up with was probably worse then the real thing at the same time he was incredibly thankful.

Leo did not want to talk about what had happened. He didn't even want to think about it. Still he knew that there was no way around it when Sally knelt down in front of him and looked at him with concerned eyes.

He took a deep breath fortifying himself.

“Well I was walking home from school and suddenly there was this guy... and he started following me.”

He knew his story would sound ridiculous, his foster mother had told him so quite plainly before she sent him to his room.

“I hadn't done anything, but I got a really bad feeling when I looked at him. He was bloodthirsty.”

Leos gaze remained fixed on the carpet not wanting to see the disbelief on Sallys face, still the words kept tumbling out.

“When the guy noticed that I was looking at him he started to laugh, you know like those maniacs in the movies and I ran away.”

His voice broke slightly because it had been more then that. The man had actually cough up to him and Leo had tried everything – really everything even that – to get away. He had managed but he could still feel the mans hands choking him.

Instinctively his hand went up to massage his throat. He knew that there were no marks left behind. Leo had checked after he had gotten out of the shower.

He could hear Percy inhale sharply and as he met his friends gaze he knew that his movement had not gone unnoticed, Sally too squeezed his knee gently.

For a short moment Leo worked up the courage to actually look up. In eyes he saw only worry and sympathy, no disbelieve and it made him continue.

“Well I ran and he chased me.. I called for help.. but...”

Leo cleared his throat.

“I ran back home, hoping that I could either loose him or that Mrs. Daniels, the neighbor, would call the police.”

He grimaced. That had not worked out the way he had planned. Usually Mrs Daniels who lived next door to his foster family was a terrible gossip and he had been sure that she would call the police, and if not the police then someone else who had enough common sense to do so.

Leo had ran right past her, the man hot on his heels, he had called for help and she had simply chuckled and told him to have fun.

“He followed me into the house.. and well I through things at him...”

Just about anything, the chairs, some pictures and bottled, but the man had seemed amused at best and offended at worst.

“Somehow the living room blew up.”

Leo was quite certain that he knew how that happened.

He had done it again, even after he had sworn never to use his powers again after what had happened to his mother. But he hadn't wanted to die and it had seemed like the only way – it had been the only way.

“The man burned... and then he was gone.”

Burned and turned into golden dust, but that made no sense at all.

“Well then my stepmother came home and well... She didn't believe me.”

To be honest. Leo didn't expect Sally to believe him either. He knew his story made no sense, especially not the way he had told it but if he had told the whole truth Sally would think him to be insane. Foster Care was bad enough, he did not need and insane asylum as well.

“Oh dear.”

Sally did not sound disbelieving though and when Leo looked up she had tears in her eyes.

“Did you get hurt somewhere?”

If anything she sounded like she believed him.

Leo shook his head and looked Sally straight into the eyes.

He wasn't sure what promoted his next thought, but suddenly he could not help but feel like Sally knew more about what had happened then he himself did, but he could not bring himself to ask about it as she gathered him in his arms and gave him a tight hug.

She held him tightly for a long moment before letting him go, seemingly reluctant, before getting up and walking over towards the phone.

“Don't worry sweety. I will contract child services. It will be alright. I promise.”

And somehow the look in her eyes made Leo believe her.

Percys mom had just taken the phone and walked out of the room when Percy spoke up.

“I told you it will be alright.”

Leo looked over to him and nearly started to cry because Percy was looking at him, worry still clear in his eyes, but there was no disbelieve either.

Percy believed him as well.

Leo blinked a couple of times, but his eyes remained suspiciously watery. Thankfully his best friend made no comment, he simply continued to sit next to him, shoulder to shoulder and giving silent support.

The details of the conversation with the people from child services that happened that evening would always be a bit fuzzy in Leos head. He remembered that Percy did not move from his side and that sally glared down the woman who accused Leo of being a little liar but more then a few broken up sentences did not remain with him.

He did however remember quite clearly when Sally had said that he could stay with her and Percy (and Gabe, but that guy did not count). At first the people from child services seemed hesitant, butt Sally, with the occasional comment from Percy managed to convince them.

Leo wasn't quite sure how they did it, because he knew that there was usually a longer procedure involved that made sure that the family the child would be fostered in was the right type. Or at least it was supposed to do that.

For some reason he was even allowed to stay with the Jacksons that evening instead of temporarily being taken to an orphanage.

He should have known that it was to good to be true. Sometimes Leo wondered why he had even bothered to hope that things would finally take a turn for the better.

As it was he had gone to bed – on a mattress on the floor in Percys room – feeling ridiculously happy.

He should have known things wouldn't stay good. Not after he had burned that man.

That night Leo dreamed. He dreamed of his mothers smile. He dreamed of Tia Callida. He dreamed of aunt Rosa and he dreamed of the voice from the ground. He dreamed of hands reaching for him, choking him and pulling him under the ground.

Another hand landed on his shoulder and a startled cry pulled Leo back to reality out of his dreams.

There had been no hands pulling under. The only had that had been there had been Percys hand. Only Percy trying to wake him from his nightmare and getting set on fire as thanks. Oh how he hated and feared fir it destroyed everything that was good in his life.

Leo stood up shakily and looked around for something to smother his friends burning shirt, but there was nothing except for his blanked and Leo knew the synthetic material would only make it worse.

It was the watering can that saved Percy. As if by magic the water shoot straight out of it and doused Percy. The fire was gone and Percy was dry.

If it had not been for the smell of smoke in the air and his friends burned shirt and wide eyes, Leo might have managed to convince himself that that had been a dream as well.

The door burst open and Sally rushed in, eyes wide with fear and worry.

He should have known better things had been to good to be true.

Instinctively he cringed when Sallys eyes raked over him, taking in the scene in front of her.

Leo wasn't quite sure what to feel when her worried gaze finally came to land on him.

Terror?

What was going to happen to him now?

There was no way that Sally Jackson would allow him to come over again, never mind becoming his foster parent ash she had offered only hours before, not after he had set Percy on fire.

“What happened?”

Sallys voice was still horse from sleep. Percys looked at him for a moment and opened his mouth as if to answer, but in the end he seemed to think better of it.

Sally had noticed this as well and she and her son both turned to look at Leo, who was shrinking in on himself.

“I didn't mean to.”

As soon as the words left his mouth he was chiding himself. He had gotten in trouble often enough to know that quick denial was the sure fire way to get settled with the blame.

“What do you mean Leo?”

Sallys voice was still kind and that more then anything gave Leo the courage to continue talking.

“The fire I...”

He broke up. How could he describe it?

It didn't matter what words he would use it would always sound crazy. There was only one way to prove it.

Taking a fortifying breath Leo raised his hand. Tia Callidas voice rang in his ears telling him to warm her old bones.

Instantly his hand was alight with flames-

Percy breathed in sharply and Leo could hear his own blood pumping threw his body, could feel the panic seize his throat. Leo clenched his eyes shut and concentrated as hard as he could. His panic was irrational. Fire could not hurt him – only everything he cared about.

He pushed that thought aside and the flame disappeared.

“I see.”

Sally sounded calm and as she made her way across the room Leo forced himself to not scoot away from her.

“It's fine Leo.”

His gaze snapped up.

“I believe you when you say that you did not mean to do it.”

She smiled slightly.

“We will just have to be more careful from no on...”

Her gaze landed on the now empty watering can.

Leos eyes widened.

“That wasn't me!”

Sally blinked surprised for a second then she laughed. It wasn't forced but genuine sound of amusement instead.

“I know, oh believe me I know.“

Percy and Leo shared a curious gaze, but Sally simply shook her head. Percy quirked an eyebrow as he refused to look away from his best friend, whose gaze had wandered down to his hands again.

“Mum is right. We wills imply have to be more careful.”

Leos gaze snapped up to meet Percys who had been silent so far.

“A little fire isn't going to scare me away you know.”

An emotion that Leo could not identify flashed through Sallys eyes, but the smile on her face did not waver, when she glanced at Percy there was another emotion in her eyes. This one Leo knew.

It was pride.

She was proud of her son.

Leo wished he knew if his mom was proud of him as well, but given the situation he had to push those thoughts aside.

It seemed like neither Percy nor him mom understood the danger Leo post and he would not have another person get harmed by his strange powers.

“You don't understand!”

It came out harsher then he had intended but maybe that was a good thing. Maybe they would understand it this way.

“It's not just a little fire...”

His voice broke and he knew by the concerned look Sally sent him that he was close to hyperventilating, but he did not let her interrupt him or even calm him, he needed to say this and they needed to hear this.

He did not want to be responsible for the death of two more people that he cared about.

The words came tumbling out of his mouth faster then he could think and he could not stop himself as he told them everything. About his childhood. His mum. The fire. The fire he made. About aunt Rosa.

Only when he came to a stop, no more words left to say did Leo realizes that he was crying and he was not the only one.

Sally had tear tracks on her cheeks as well and even Percys eyes were suspiciously wet.

“Oh Leo.”

Sally pulled him in a big hug and Percy to abandoned all attempts of manliness and crawled over to them hugging them both.

“You aunt.”

He said and Leo could hear the anger underlying his words.

“Is a bitch.”

His mother did not correct him on his language which was surprising in itself. Sally always reminded people of the importance of being polite, instead she did something that was even more shocking.

“That words does not do that woman justice.”

Her hug got a little tighter for a moment.  
“Listen closely Leo.”

Then she pulled away from him a little, but her hands were still resting on his shoulders.

“Your mother loved you and I do not believe for a second that you had any part on hurting her.”

Leo breathed out, but was shaky.

“But I started the fire...”

Percy snorted.

“Yeah but you did not lock the door did you?”

Leo blinked at him and Percy shrugged.

“You said that you were accused of locking the door from the outside so that she...”

He swallowed.

“So that she could not get out.”

Leo nodded and tried not to think back to that night.

“So obviously someone else did that. You loved..”

Percy corrected himself.

“Love your mum. There is no way you would do that.”  
Leo found himself nodding in agreement and when Percy looked at him, his gaze serious, he held it.

“Someone else must have done it.”

Sally nodded and muttered something under her breath. It sounded suspiciously like “Something” to Leos ears. Considering the sharp look Percy sent his mother he must have heard it as well.

They sat like that for a while and slowly Leo began to calm down again, as his brain caught up with the fact that not only was no one angry with him for setting Percy on fire, they also knew the whole story and still seemed to care for him.

It could have been an hour or more when sally got up from the mattress where she was still sitting and hugging Leo and told them to get back to bed

Leo was pretty sure he would not be sleeping this night. Even if Sally and Percy had forgiven and even accepted him. Even if he felt incredibly relieved about finally having talked about his mother and having somebody tell him that it wasn't his fault while actually meaning it. Because Sally had and so had Percy. They had told him that it wasn't his fault.

It had been the exact opposite of what Aunt Rosa had said.

Leo would not sleep tonight.

Not with the smell of smoke still hanging in the air, the same kind of smoke that had clung to him what for what seemed like forever after his mother had died.

He was shaken out if his thoughts when Percy suddenly sat up in his bad, took his pillow under his arm and rolled out of the bed to land on the mattress next to Leo.

“Percy?”

The other boy simply positioned his pillow, pulled down the blanked from the bed and lay down next to him.

“Percy, what are you doing?”

The other boy simply shot him a look as he made himself comfortable.

“Going to sleep you should do the same as well.”

He did not say more then that, he simply pulled his covers up and closed his eyes. Leo felt strangely wrong footed.

This whole night had been strange and unsettling despite feeling very cleansing, especially with the smell of smoke lingering in the air.

It was then, that Leo noticed something else: He could no longer smell the smoke, instead there was something else.

Percy smelled like the sea.

Leo wrinkled his nose. He had never been all that big on outdoor activities and if he had to chose he would rather swim in any other water then sea water... especially with the sand that was sticking to you afterward.

The smell of smoke was gone however, or if it wasn't Leo could no longer smell it,and despite everything he had believed before, he felt himself beginning to fall asleep.

And maybe it was then that a small part of Leo, one that he would still deny and doubt for years to come decided that Percy and sally were family. Home. A place to return to.

And people more precious to him than anyone but his mother had ever been.


	3. In which Percy gets assaulted by his math teacher

**3\. In which Percy gets assaulted by his math teacher**

All in all Yancy wasn't a too bad school.

It wasn't that the teachers were very understanding or that the other students were nice and friendly. That both really wasn't the case.

Percy wasn't quite sure why he thought Yancy wasn't all bad, but it might have something to do with the fact that not only had Leo and he made a new friend – Grover – it just happened, that one of the teachers – Mr Brunner – was pretty cool as well.

Because seriously how many wheelchair bound Latin teachers had an weapon and armor collection. Even if it was pretty strange that most of the armor and weapons were roman, from the stories Mr Brunner told, Percy would have kinda expected them to be Greek except for the fact that their class was Latin and teaching them Greek when they were supposed to learn Latin wouldn't go over all that well.

So when they were told that they were going to make a field trip with Mr Brunner as the main supervisor it was a pretty cool thing. Or at least had potential to be so, museum or not. At least that's what Percy told himself the days before the trip.

His mum had been nervous as well when Percy had talked to her on the phone. She had made him and Leo both promise to stay out of trouble, it wasn't like they had looked for trouble the other times, but it just happened to find them.

Taking into consideration that they were already on probation – and it so hadn't been Percys fault that the blackboard nearly fell on top of their math teacher, even if Leos raised eyebrow had suggested otherwise – Percy and Leo had made a pact to stay out of trouble.

Since trouble usually found them when they were involved in something at least semi interesting, a museum was their best bet. Listening to lectures all day would be hard, but with Mr Brunner in charge they at least had a chance.

The day might have even started out great, if it hadn’t been for the fact that Nancy Bobofit got the seat on the row behind Percy and Grover. Leo on the other hand sat in the row in front of them, which meant that every time his best friend turned around to talk to them he got a face full of Nancy. Percys wasn't sure how long Leo could manage to stay civil, especially not now that Nancy had stopped calling them names and had changed tho throwing her lunch at them.

The headmasters words were ringing in his ears, but Percys patience was not so slowly but very surely reaching its end. Judging by the way Leos hair seemed to be smoking, Leos would probably give in first.

Or at least that's what Percy had thought until an especially big and sticky piece of the peanut butter sandwich, hit Grover directly against – or judging by his friends squeal, in – his ear before dropping to the upholstering between them.

“I'm going to kill her.”

Percys was already halfway out of his seat when Grovers hand landed on his arm and pulled him down again. He was surprisingly strong, but walking with crutches all the time probably did that to ones arms.

The first time Leo and him had met Grover the other boy had been bullied by some off their classmates shortly after the start of term. But well credit were credit was due, those guys probably did chose Grover for a very obvious reason – he was the easiest target.

Or at least he seemed to be since he had a walking disability which not only excused him from PE but also lead to his walking with crutches. Personally Percy was not quite sure if the note Grove had was completely legit and he was pretty sure that anyone who had seen Grover on enchilada day in the cafeteria – it was like he was beaming, he was that fast.

Still legit permit or not, Grover was a target for bullies and after Leo and Percy had stuck up for him there duo had become a trio. They didn't really mind because Grover was a cool guy and hanging out with him was fun.

He was also a lot more level headed then Leo and Percy, something that he had proven time and again by keeping the two of them out of the worst trouble.

“You are already on probation.” Grovers voice was stern so was the look he shot Leo who had stood up from his seat as well. “You know who will get blamed if something happens.”

And yeah, Percy did. It would be him or Leo. Not that it made that much of a difference, especially not of the principal was to be believed. After all the man had taken Percy and Leo aside before the trip and told them that an accident of any kind would get them expelled.

From the way he had said it Percy and Leo had come to the conclusion that it included accidents that had nothing to do with them at all.

Some how they managed to suffer through the bus ride even if by the time they finally reached the museum Percys teeth were clenched so hard that his jar hurt, Leo was quite literally smoking and Grover looked like he needed a week long vacation to recover from the ordeal.

Nancy on the other hand seemed to be in a great mood if the smile she gave Mrs Dodds, their Math teacher was any indication.

–

The museums tour was lead by Mr. Brunner who kept cruising around the exhibits and the class followed behind him more or less readily.

Percy could understand that, if it weren't for the treat of expulsion he would probably not pay that much attention either. He chanced a glance over his shoulder and noted with some resignation that his best friend had given up on the paying attention part what seemed to be some time ago. For a moment Percy considered stealthily moving further to the back, but from the glare Mrs Dodds was giving him he did not think he would get away with it.

Mrs Doods was their math teacher. She had taken over their class after the winder holidays because their previous teacher had a mental breakdown when the blackboard that Percy had slammed down nearly crushed her to death.

Not that Percy could blame Mrs Manning for leaving. It had been pretty scary when the blackboard had fallen down it had only been his quick reflexes that had saved him from being a victim of the blackboard as well.

Apparently his reflexes had been a little to good however. The principal had called his actions premeditated or something along those lines. Percy hadn't really understood why the man had been so angry, from the way he had gone on it had sounded like he would have preferred the blackboard to take Percy out.

Though Percy did not hold anything against Mrs Manning for leaving after that spectacle he did hold it against her that Mrs Dodds had taken over her position.

Because quite frankly: Mrs Dodds was evil.

It was a revelation that Percy had had when the woman had made him erase answers out of some old math workbook until midnight. Leo had assured him that it was a perfectly fine conclusion, after all only an evil person would make a child sit still for so long. He had added rather questioningly of Mrs Dodds in all her evilness could actually be called human.

Grover had agreed to that as well.

He usually didn't talk bad about teachers so his agreement had come as quite a surprise to both Percy and Leo but after the utterly serious expression on their friends face they had decided that it might be better not to brink the matter up again.

Speaking of Grover. It seemed that Percy couldn't even let his thoughts drift for a few seconds before Nancy had taken advantage of his mental absence. Now instead of actually listening to Mr Brunner they were kicking Grovers crutches and unbalancing him.

Percy shot them an angry glare but they ignored him and giggled instead.

“Will you shut up?”

Unfortunately Percys question not only came out louder then he had intended Mr Brunner had also paused for a moment meaning Percy was the only one talking. The consequence was that pretty much everyone heard Percys exclamation: Leo who had been fiddling with one of the exhibits locks jerked upright and hastily stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets and even the Lady at the other side of the room gave him a dirty look.

Percy felt the blood rush to his face as his class laughed and Leo shot him a sympathetic look while shuffling closer and thankfully away from the lock.

For a second Percy actually hoped that Mr Brunner would simply continue with his story, but his hoped were crushed.

“Mr. Jackson did you have a comment?”

Suppressing the urge to cringe Percy shook his head.

“No, sir.”

The expression on their teachers face was unreadable and Percy resisted the urge to curse knowing that it would only make his situation worse. Mr Brunner turned his wheelchair slightly and pointed at one of the pictures hanging on the wall.

“Then perhaps you can tell us what that picture represents?”

When he looked at the directing Mr Brunner was pointing Percy breathed an internal sigh of relieve. He recognized the scene that was being portrayed in the picture and he knew to whom the credit went, after all it had been his mother who had often told Leo and him story’s about the greek gods and quizzed them on it.

From the corner of his eye he caught Leos grin and another weight fell from his shoulders as he realized that Leo was nowhere near the lock anymore.

“It's Kronos eating his kids.”

Mr Brunner nodded, but Percys answer did not seem to satisfy him completely.

“Yes and he did this because?”

Percy actually knew the answer to that as well. He remembered quite clearly how incredulous he and Leo had been when his mum had told them about it.

“Well Kronos was the … king.”

The word was at the tip of his tongue. Mr Brunner seemed amused.

“The king of whom?”

Percy racked his brain but the answer would not come to him.

Leo seemed to know the answer of his mumbling was any indication but Percy could not make out what he was saying until Leo spoke a bit louder.

“Titan.”

Percy picked up his trail of thought.

“He was the king of the Titans.”

Mr Brunner chuckled.

“Thank you Mr Valdez.”

Both boys flushed and Grover snickered slightly.

“Continue Mr Jackson?”

Percy did.

“Well he had gotten a prophesy or something that his kids would be his downfall so he decided to eat them and get rid of the problem.”

And that was no good reason to eat your kids. Actually Percy was pretty sure that there was never a good reason to eat your kids.

“Unfortunately for him his wife did not quite agree with him, so she hid the youngest kid, baby Zeus, and gave Kronos a rock to eat.”

When Leo had asked Sally what that said about Zeus or at least his father opinion on his progeny, his mum had looked scandalized.

“So when Zeus grew up he and his mum tricked his dad into barfing up his brothers and sisters-”

Percy would have continued, but one of the girls behind him cut him of with a loud “Eww”. Percy shot her a glare for continuing. Here he was actually able to answer a question and they were interrupting him.

“And they had a big fight which the gods won.”

Mr Brunner was nodding at him in agreement and Percy felt pretty good about answering the question correctly, so he was suitably offended, when Nancy made fun of it, while whispering to her friend.

“Right, like we're going to use this in real life. No one is going to have us answer those kind of questions on our job applications. Really useful.”

Percy was not the only one who had heard her however, as Mr Brunner proved once again, that he had wicked sharp ears.

“And why Mr Jackson.”

Mr Brunner shot Nancy an unimpressed look and she flushed red in a way that did not compliment her hair at all.

“To paraphrase Miss Bobofit's excellent question, does this matter in real life?”

Grover snickered and Leos lips were twitching as well. Percy was pretty sure he would have joined them if he had not been the one at whom the question had been directed or if he had at least a general idea what the answer to that question could be.

He did not think that Mr Brunner would agree that answering his mums question and getting her to smile really brightly was a real life application.

“I don't know sir.”

And he could not even come up with a reason that would be halfway presentable in class.

“I see.”

Mr Brunner actually looked disappointed Percy noted and given the elbow Leo sent into his ribs he was pretty sure his friend had picked up on the unusual reaction as well.

“Well half credit Mr Jackson. Zeus did indeed feed Kronos a mixture of mustard and wine.”

The expression on Leos face was far to interested for Percys mental well being

“Which made him disgorge his other five children, who, of course, being immortal gods, had been living and growing up completely undigested in the Titan’s stomach.”

It sounded like a really nice childhood, the view must have been superb.

“The gods defeated their father, sliced him to pieces with his own scythe, and scattered his remains in Tartarus, the darkest part of the Underworld.”

Percy was pretty glad that his mum never went that much into detail.

“On that happy note.”

Mr Brunner looked cheerfully at the children in front of him, some of whom where looking rather green.

“It's time for lunch. Mrs Dodds, would you lead us back outside?”

With those words the class was released and made their way out of the exhibit. Percy tried to blend in his with his classmates as he tugged Leo and Grover along with him, but Mr Brunners called him back.

“Mr Jackson. Please stay for a moment.”

Percy sent Leo and Grover a miserable gaze but the latter simply nodded encouragingly while Leo at least had the decency to grimace in sympathy.

–

Mr Brunner was not the type of teacher that assigned his students detention for every little thing so Percy got away with a stern talking to and a cryptic message that made about as much sense as the fine print in legal documents. That and a feeling that his latin teacher might not be as sane as he had first assumed. Because really why would knowing about the gods and their storys be important nowadays. Percy sure as hell did not plan to go into historical studies.

He was glad to finally get out of the museum, the atmosphere after the talk with Brunner had felt uncomfortably heavy, even if the weather outside did not look all that inviting. Dark clouds were covering the sky and it seemed like one hell of a storm was coming, the strange thing was though, that no pretty much no one seemed to notice.

The class had gathered on the front steps of the museum where they would watch the foot traffic along the Fifth Avenue.

Percy spotted Leo and Grover, two of the people who did indeed have eyes if their furtive glances at the sky were any indication, by the edge of the fountain and he walked over to them while giving Leo his best imitation of his mums stern look. It must have come across as pretty authentic since his best friend grimaced.

“I wasn't up to anything.”

Percy arched an eyebrow and felt a deep surge of pride when he actually managed to to so. It had taken him ages to get that down.

“Really I was just checking out the lock...”

Grover who until then had looked pretty confused shot Leo a sardonic look that made him look older then a sixth grader had any right to look.

“Yeah like we are going to believe that.”

Grover turned to Percy.

“Did you get detention?”

With a grin Percy shook his head and plopped down next to Leo who had pulled a bag of sweets from his backpack.

“Nah, not from Brunner he just wanted to tell me that I had to learn the answer to the question.”

Leo shot him an incredulous look.  
“Really, why? I mean I don't like Bobofit, but she had a point. There is no way we are ever going to need that, unless of course he counts answering your mums question...”

Percy could not help but grin when his friends trail of thought went along the same line as his own had when he had been confronted with the question. Grover however seemed to be unconvinced.

“Well... maybe he has a point.”

Leo snorted.

“Really G-man? I know you like that kind of stuff, but even you have to admit that for once Bobofit wasn't just talking nonsense.”

Grover let the matter dropped, but Percy had a feeling that he did not agree with Percy and Leo. Maybe it was because Grover really liked greek mythology. It was really funny sometimes, once Grover got started talking you could just put aside your book, since the other boy knew all those stories by heart.

Still Percy was glad that he had his friends with him. After he had met Leo school had become a lot more fun. Before Percy had always been an outsider and he still was, but it was a lot easier to be an outsider, or the new kid if you weren't alone.

Not that changing schools was less of a hassle, but it wasn't that bad anymore, even if he somehow seemed to find trouble a lot easier when he was with Leo, Percy would not change it for anything in the world.

His mother had been a lot happier as well since Leo had joined them and Percy could only guess that she had been worried about him since he never seemed to make any lasting friends.

Friendships took time to form and after one years there wasn't all that much to build a friendship on, especially not when you were a kid that was about to change to another school because you managed to get into trouble.

Still Percy had hoped that Grover would remain their friend even if they went to different schools, because while Percy had no interest in changing school again, he knew that it was only a matter of time. The principal had made that very clear when he had said that they would get blamed for anything that went wrong, whether they had been involved or not. Percy worried what would happen to Grover once they were gone, but his biggest worry was his mum.

She had hoped so hard that Leo and Percy would manage to stay at Yancy, and Percy would hate to disappoint her.

Lost in his thoughts Percy did not realize that Nancy and her group of friends had approached them until it was to late.

It seemed like Nancy had decided that bulling Grover the usual way was not enough and more drastic measures had to be taken, so she decided to push him into the fountain.

It was Grovers shout of surprise that ripped Percy from his thoughts and caused him to turn slightly to take in the situation:

Leo who had been sitting on Percys other side had not been paying attention as well and when Grover shouted he had nearly dropped his current project – a Nintendo DS that he had gotten from one of their year mates after it had been broken during a football game – into the fountain as well.

Grover had not been as lucky and given that he had been the main victim it was to be expected. From there current position Percy could guess that Nancy had probably given him a harsh shove against the chest that had pushed him backwards into the fountain. It wasn't as bad as it could have been since he had managed to catch himself with his arms so only the arms of his jacket had gotten wet.

Percy forced himself to remain calm as he got up from his seat to help Grover out of his predicament, but when he saw Grover wince as he moved his wrist.

“Oops. So sorry Underwood I kinda lost my balance.”

Nancy did not even attempted to sound sincere and the mocking grin on her face as well as the accompanied giggling of her friends made Percy incredibly angry. When one of her friends imitated Grovers attempt at sitting up something in Percy snapped.

The school counselor had called him countless times to try to keep his temper under control. He had gone as far as to tell Percy to attempt to calmly count to ten in his mind, to keep his cool. Percy did not think that it would work not that he was trying. It was like a wave was roaring in his ears and he did not even get to take a step into Nancys direction when she squealed loudly – it was accompanied by a loud splash.

By now the spectacle had attracted the attention of our classmates they were all wide eyed, pointing and muttering about how the water had grabbed Nancy. Leo was as well, but he was not looking at Nancy but at Percy and Percy suddenly had an idea what might have happened.

Something similar had happened once before when Leo had accidentally set him on fire when Percy had tried to wake him from a nightmare. Back then the water of the watering can had come to Percy and doused the fire while leaving him dry.

It didn't really make sense, but as Leo gave him a sharp nod assuring him that he had seen Nancy get grabbed by the water as well, Percy felt a little light headed.

How the hell could he possibly control water? Or maybe not control, but why would it react to his emotions?

Again it was due to Nancy that Percy was ripped from his thoughts and depending on who you asked the situation that he found himself in was even more unpleasant then the last.

Mrs Dodds had approached them and Nancy who had apparently stepped out of the fountain when Percy had had his interaction with Leo was telling her that Percy had pushed her into the water, excluding of course that she had pushed Grover beforehand, not that it mattered, Percy was pretty sure his punishment would be the same anyway, even if he hadn't technically pushed Nancy.

He had done … something else.

Even if it should not be possible.

Leo had finally gotten up from his spot by the fountain as well and made his way to Percys side.

He was shooting Nancy a look that Percy was sure would get his friend into trouble should Mrs Dodds notice it. Luckily said woman was still busy listening to Nancys recounting of the events.

“What the hell happened?”

Percy shrugged and was just about to tell Leo that he had no idea as well, when Mrs Dodds turned around to them and addressed him.

Her face was stern, but there was a triumphant light dancing in her eyes.

Percy was pretty sure that she liked torturing him, at least if the detentions she had given him so far were any indication.

“Now Honey...”

He was about to interrupt her but a sharp elbow into the rips courtesy of his best friend cut him off. He knew that Leo was right of course, guessing ones punishment always made them worse, but Leo wasn't really one to talk.

Still Percy kept quite and let Mrs Dodds continue uninterrupted.

“You will come with me.”

Her voice brooked no arguments and Leo cringed next to him.

“Wait!”

Surprisingly it was Grover who spoke up.

“It was me! I pushed her!”

Percy stared at him and Leo next to him turned to do the same. This was completely unexpected. Percy felt incredibly thankful that his friend was trying to keep him out of trouble so that he would not get expelled.

They should have told Grover that the principal had already decided to end their stay at Yancy. Speaking up like this to Mrs Dodds of all people – a woman who scared Grover absolutely witless- must have taken him incredible courage.

Percy could not help but muse that Grovers fear of their teacher was not as unfounded as it might have appeared before, at least if the glare the woman shot him was any indication. It promised murder.

“I don't think so Mr Underwood.”

And Grovers courage had been for naught, not that Percy had wanted the teacher to believe Grover, he knew it had been his fault even if he wasn't quite sure how he had done it.

“But-”

Inexplicably Grover refused to give in. Percy shot Leo and quick look and his friend returned it with a sharp nod before he made his way over to Grover. It would be useless if Grover managed to get himself into trouble was well for talking back to a teacher.

Mrs Dodds was unpleasant, but he had survived cleaning out workbooks till midnight before and he would do so again.

“You will stay here Mr Underwood.”

Her voice sounded so menacing that Percy was beginning to feel uncomfortable. How could they allow a woman like that to teach children? Maybe it was a good thing that his tenure at Yanys was almost over.

Grover opened his mouth again, but Leo grabbed his arm and pulled him back, all while shooting Percy a pitting look. He appreciated, really, especially now that Mrs Dodds attention had returned to him.

“Honey.”

It sounded more like she was cursing him really.

“Now.”

Still Percy followed after her as she made her way back into the museum, while ignoring Nancys snickers. With one last look at Leos whose glare at Nancy promised that she would be dealt with, he entered the Museum as well.

Mrs Dodds was already at the middle of the steps gesturing impatiently for Percy to come.

Percy wondered if she was doing speed walking in her spare time. Maybe she should try for the Olympics and leave her profession as a teacher behind.

Somehow the entire situation felt wrong. The school counselor had told him before that it was due to his ADHD brain analyzing thinks incorrectly, but since that was the man that had told him that counting to ten helped calm ones temper, Percy did not quite believe him.

Still he followed Mrs Dodds up the stairs on the halfway marked he looked back to his friends. Grover was looking pale and frantic, his gaze fixed firmly on Mr Brunner, while Leo was furtively trying to calm him down.

The entire way towards the greek and roman section – and why did she want there? - Mrs Dodds kept jumping large distances in impossible short amount of time until he finally caught up with her when she came to a stop.

The entire place was empty. It seemed to Percy that they were the only people in the building even if he intellectually knew that it wasn't true. For some reason he was feeling strangely uncomfortable as well, maybe it was just because Grover had been acting all panicky, but he could not shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

Something worse then cleaning out workbooks all night.

“You have been giving us trouble honey.”

Given the tone Mrs Dodds used she might as well have been accusing him of murder but this time he would not talk back, maybe the principal would actually allow him to stay until the end of the year.

“Yes, ma'am.”

The look in her eyes was beyond mad. It was downright evil.

“Did you really think you would get away with it?”

Percy wasn't quite sure what she was alluding to, but somehow he felt very threatened. Which was ridiculous, since Mrs Dodds was a teacher and trouble student or not, she would not get away with hurting him.

Given the look in her eyes she could have cared less about it.

“I'll – I'll try harder, ma'am.”

Blood was rushing through his eyes and part of him wondered if that was the infamous fight of flight response that he had heard about. As if to make the whole scene look even more dramatic the room was suddenly lightened up by the lightning that had flashed outside.

“We are not fools, Percy Jackson.”

The smile on her face was feral, much like a rabid beast.

“It was only a matter of time before we found you out. Confess and you will suffer less pain.”

She giggled.

“Maybe we will even spare your accomplice.”

Percy had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. For a moment he had considered that they had found out about the illegal stash of candy he and Leo had been selling form their dorm room, or the various times he had not completed his school work the way he had been supposed to, but why would they confront him with it on a class trip?

“Well?”

Percy simply looked at her helplessly. If he had at least a definite idea what he was been accused of he might manage to talk his way out of it, but this way it wouldn’t work.

“Ma'am, I don't...”

“Your time is up.”

Mrs Dodds voice was a hiss, only vaguely reminiscent of human speech.

Then the most impossible thing happened. Even more impossible then setting yourself on fire without the use of a matchstick or lighter. Even more strange then making the water from the fountain grab somebody.

Mrs Dodds eyes started to glow like the nightlight Leo had once manufactured to make the room day bright. Her fingers stretched, turning into wicked sharp talons. Her jacked melted into large, leathery wings.

She wasn't human and Percy could not figure out how he had ever taken her as such. It was clear as the day now, that she was a shriveled hag that had been bred with a giant bat and something else that had sharp claws and disgustingly, but unfortunately sharp yellow fangs.

Suddenly the fact that he moved the water in the fountain not ten minutes ago lost its importance in Percys eyes and he had just enough time to think that his day had gotten beyond strange when it got even stranger.

Mr Brunner who Percy was sure had been in front to of the museum when only a minute before, wheeled his chair into the doorway of the gallery a pen in his hand. Unlike Percy who was feeling pretty wrong footed by his shape shifting teacher, he did not seem perturbed by the situation at all.

“What ho, Percy!”

If Percy hadn't already experienced it before on various school festivals, he was pretty sure he wouldn't have managed to catch the pen that his teacher had thrown him. Without being trained to do so, he might actually not have tried given that no matter what people say about the pen being mightier then the sword in this situation a pen was no use at all.

Then Mrs Dodds lunged at him.

Yelping Percy managed to dodge out of the way and nearly managed to spear himself on the word he was holding. He could have sworn Mr. Brunner had thrown him a pen. It wasn't just any thought so – it was the same bronze sword he had seen Mr Brunner use on tournaments day.

Mrs Dodds whirled around and faced him again, the look on her face was even more murderous then before.

Percys heart as wracing, his thoughts were whirling, but the only thing he could focus on was the sword in his hand. He mustn’t drop it, no matter how badly his hands were shaking.

“Die Honey!”

And again the thing that had once been Mrs Dodds charged. Part of his mind registered that the word honey would never be anything but a threat from now on.

The only thing that saved Percy from loosing his arm, or worse his head when the creature charged him where his sharp reflexes. He did not really think he could take credit for them as he never had to practice or hone them before, they were simply there, it did not change the fact that he was very glad for them though.

In the momentum of his dodging maneuver to spin the blade, the metal hit the monsters shoulder and went clean through her body as if it was a hot night going through butter.

Mrs Dodds didn't even have time to scream before she explored into gold powder, vaporized on the spot and left nothing behind but the uncomfortable smell of sulfur in the air. Even with her gone the image of her evil red eyes remained in Percys mind and he felt a shiver go down his back. He looked around checking if he was safe, but even if there was no one around the feeling of unease remained.

And he really was alone.

Mr Brunner was gone and unlike Mrs Dodds he hadn't even left a small speck of gold powder behind, but even that had been blown away by a wind Percy hadn't felt, already.

The only thing that reminded him of what had happened was the sword in his hand, which now was a pen again. Percy shivered and contemplated flicking it open to check if it actually wrote, but he pushed that thought aside, because he really wanted to get out of the museum now.

He left the gallery at a relatively slow pace, but with each step he got faster and by the time he had reached the staircase that lead him into the entrance hall he was full out sprinting.

When Percy finally stepped out of the museum this time, still reeling from what had just happened, Grover was waiting for him at the front door. The place before the museum was empty but given that it had started to rain Percy had kind of expected that.

Unfortunately Nancy had decided to take shelter from the rain under the roof of the museum as well. She was still drenched from her trip into the fountain and when she saw him she gave him an angry glare.

“I hoped Mrs Kerr whipped your butt.”

Percy stared at her.

“Who?”

She rolled her eyes at him and shivered slightly.

“Our teacher you idiot.”

Percy blinked. Then he blinked again. They had never had a teacher named Mrs Kerr he was sure of it. He might occasionally have problems paying attention, but he was quite sure that he would have been able to remember his teachers names.

“What are you talking about?”

He must have sounded truly incredulous because Nancy simply gave him a condescending look before turning away and ignoring him.

Percy turned back to Grover who seemed inexplicably nervous for some reason.

“Grover where is Mrs Dodds?”

He could barely keep his voice from shaking. The whole situation was ridiculous. He had been attacked by a teacher that had turned into a monster and he had the pen to not quite prove it.

But Grover did not give him the answer he sought.

“Who?”

Percy might have believed him if he hadn't already knows his friend for almost a year. Grover had paused before answering and he wasn't looking at Percy either. Apparently his friend was in on the joke as well.

Unfortunately Percy wasn't in the mood for jokes.

“Not funny at all G-man. This is serious.”

As if to underline his statement thunder boomed overhead but Grover simply continued to look at him with a concerned look.

Percy shook his head. Grover knew something but wouldn’t tell him he could deal with that.

“Have you seen Leo?”

Again Grover shook his head.

“No, he went to the toilet and hasn't come back yet.”

Nodding his head Percy looked around the room hoping to spot his best friend somewhere. It was very likely that Leo had been on his way back when something had captured his attention.

Unfortunately there was no trace of him.

Percy pushed away the worry that he felt when he could not find him. Just because he had been attacked by a teacher did not mean that they were after Leo as well. There was no need to worry, even if his classmate acted like they had been kidnapped by aliens and had their memories modified.

Then he noticed Mr Brunner sitting under a red umbrella and reading a books. Looking like he hadn't moved from when Mrs Dodds had called him away.

But he knew better, the pen in his hand was prove for that.

Hoping that he could clear up this situation Percy went over to him.

The teacher looked up when Percy approached him, but he looked a little distracted until his gaze fell on the pen in Percys hand.

“Ah that would be my pan. Please bring your own writing utensil in the future, Mrs Jackson.”

Mr Brunner held his hand out for the pen and Percy reluctantly handed it over feeling a little uncomfortable at giving away the not-weapon that had saved his life from Mrs Dodds.

“Sir.”

Percy was glad that his voice sounded sure, because he wasn't feeling like it at all.

“Where's Mrs Dodds?”

For a moment Mr Brunner stared blankly at him.

“Who?”

Percy just barely managed to suppress the urge to scream.

“The other chaperon. Mrs Dodds. The per-algerbra teacher.”

Mr Brunner frowned and sat forward, looking mildly concerned. Percy so had enough of this.

“Percy, there is no Mrs Dodds on this trip. As far as I know, here has never been a Mrs Dodds at Yancy Academy. Are you feeling alright?”

First Grover and now Mr Brunner as well, this made no sense at all, still for once Percy took the school counselors advise: he counted to ten in his head before speaking up again.

“I'm fine Mr Brunner. I meant Mrs Kerr of course. Where is she?”

The teacher looked at him for a moment longer before pointing to the entrance hall.

“She was going to get something from the gift shop.”

Percy nodded tersely and turned away walking towards the entrance hall again. Once he reached at he leaned against the wall, ignoring the concerned look Grover sent him form across the room, he slit down along it and rested his head on his knees.

He did not look up when he heard someone approach him.

“Percy?”

Only when he recognized the voice did he look up to meet Leos worried gaze.

“What the hell happened with Mrs Dodds? And who is Mrs Kerr?”

Leo looked about as confused as Percy felt and never in his life had Percy been as glad as he was now that his best friend was around. He blinked rapidly and took a deep shuddering breath.

“She turned into a monster and attacked me. Mr Brunner through me a pen that turned into a sword and I killed the monster... which turned into dust. Then I came out here and people start talking about Mrs Kerr. Whoever she is.”

Leo blinked once. Twice and sat down heavily at the edge of the fountain next to Percy.

“Our math teacher apparently.”

Percy cracked a smile. It was such a Leo thing to say, especially considering what Percy had just told him.

“So...”

He really couldn’t help himself.

“You believe me?”

Leo gave him a look that he normally reserved for people to stupid to find the on/off button an a television.

“Are you really asking me that?”

He sounded incredulous as well but Percy did not meet his gaze afraid of what he might see.

“Come on Percy you are being ridiculous.”

He could feel Leo shrug his shoulders.

“You are the guy that believed me that I could set things on fire with my bare hands and...”

Leo did not finish that sentence, but Percy had no trouble remembering what else Leo had told him and his mum back then.

“And don't forget that you are pretty much Aquaman.”

Now Percy turned to glare at Leo only to be met with his friends bright grin.

“A math teacher turning into a monster is not that hard to believe. I mean she was a math teacher.”

He made the word math sound quite long and widened his eyes as if to emphasis, that no good could ever come from people who liked math.

Percy could not help but grin and he felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest. Leo believed him.

“Grover knows something as well.”

Leo blinked.

“What do you mean?”

Percy scrunched up his face and tried to remember his other friends reaction when he Percy had asked him where Mrs Dodds was.

“Well... He knew who Mrs Dodds was. I mean he was pretending to have forgotten about it like everyone else.. but you know Grover.”

Leo nodded.

“Yeah he is a really lousy liar.”

That was true, but Grover was also incredibly stubborn and it would be pretty difficult to get him to tell. Leo gave a deep sight, obviously sharing a similar train of thought, and bumped Percys shoulder with his own.  
“Don't worry man. We'll figure it out.”

And the grin on Leos face promised trouble for anyone who would dare get in their way. Percy cracked a smile on his own and bumped his shoulder against Leos in agreement.

“We always do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it. This was the third chapter and now the story really gets started. Mrs Dodds, Chiron and Grover make their first appearance and the world of the Greek myth says hello in a not so friendly fashion.  
> I hope you liked this chapter and that it turned out alright. It was a lot harder than I expected to rewrite something and not use the exact same descriptions that the original used. I think I might have read the books one time to many.  
> It would be great if you could give me some feedback and point out mistakes I might have made. The next chapter will be Leos POV again which will cover the aftermath of the attack at Yancy. I plan on uploading it next week, but since I am quite busy until the end of January I don't know for sure. I hope you enjoyed it! Until next week (hopefully)!


	4. In which Leo develops a grudge

**4\. In which Leo develops a grudge**

Thing went back to normal after that, or at least as back to normal as they could be after your best friend vaporized your math teacher with a sword and no one remembered her, or at least no one admitted to it.

At least that's what Leo though.

He would have thought himself to be crazy as well, and he was pretty sure Percy came close a couple of times anyway, if they hadn't cornered Grover to get some information out of him.

Not that their friend gave them any of the information the had been looking for, but Grover was still a really shitty liar and it was easy to tell that he knew something.

Percy tried several ways to check if it was one big joke that people were playing on them by occasionally bringing up Mrs Doods name in the middle of a conversation.

All it got him were strange looks and Leo was pretty sure that no matter how ridiculous it sounded, their classmates really did believe that Mrs Kerr – s perky blond woman, that neither Leo nor Percy had ever seen before the trip back from the museum – had been teaching them since Christmas.

Leo was sure that if it weren't for both Percy and him remembering s well as Grovers apparent knowledge, Percy would have already started doubting himself, ADHD was funny sometimes, even if not in the way reality was making fun of them right now.

It was like the thing when a person stopped and stared at a dot in the middle of the street – if it was only one person doing it the person is obviously not quite right in the head, but if it's two people... or something along those lines, Leo couldn't quite remember. The thing was that there were at least three people aware of the fact that something had happened at the museum and that meant that something had indeed happened, even if no one else seemed to be aware of it.

Which was plainly creepy by the way.

Leo wasn't as bothered at it, but he knew that Percy was if the nightmares were any indication. Hell even if Grover truly had been as obvious as he would have liked to be, the nightmares would have been enough to convince Leo that something had happened.

The thing that bothered him most however was that with everyday that passed Percys mood got worse, just like the weather.

A moody Percy wasn't a pleasant Percy and while Leo had gotten used to it over the years that did not mean he enjoyed his bets friend and roommate being all snappy.

It also didn't help that Percys grades kept slipping and when he actually snapped at their English teacher - who quite frankly had it coming – Leo knew that the farce was up. Now The principal actually had what he had been waiting for since Christmas: A legitimate reason the expel Percy.

The only good thing that had come from it was that Leo had actually taken the liberty to rewire the electric door to the principals office. It had been something that he had had in mind since the first time he had been called to the room and since he would be leaving the school with Percy, there was no reason to hold back anymore.

The letters to Sally went out the next day.

Part of Leo actually felt bad about it, mostly because he hated disappointing Sally, she really did deserve better, but he would actually muss the school a little.

The fact remained that Leo really didn't want to go to another school without Percy. It might be a little childish, but he could not help himself. Percy was his best friend after all.

Still he would miss the school a little: the school was one of the more modern ones he had been to after all and the technical equipment had been interesting to take apart and put together again, Grover who had been a pretty good friend even if Leo wasn't quite sure how he felt about the other boys place in the Mrs Dodds conspiracy.

He would also miss Mr Brunner. It wasn't like Leo liked latin all that much, but the man had been one of, if not the most interesting teacher Leo had ever had. It was a shame that Mr Brunner couldn't teach at their new school as well.

Leo was sure that Percy would miss him as well since his friend was going out of his way to learn more for the last latin exam then he had for any other test this year. Leo joined him rather reluctantly, but after the happenings in the museum Mr Brunners warning that ancient myth might hold some sway in the real world sounded a lot more legitimate than it had before.

Learning the myth wasn't quite what they should be focusing n in Latin, but is was more interesting then the grammar that absolutely drove Percy to frustration.

At the evening before the final exam Percy finally snapped and threw his book across the room, Leo barely managed to dodge the book and he had kind of expected Percy to go to sleep afetr that. His friend surprised him however when he picked the book up again and told Leo that he was going to ask Mr Brunner for help.

Leo was left alone in their shared dorm room with his own book and a lot of boredom. One that he would be wishing back once Percy returned from his nightly trip.

–

It seemed that instead of asking Mr Brunner for help like he had planned Percy had ended up eavesdropping on his and Grovers conversation.

Not that Leo could blame him, it was kind of strange that they would talk about Percy, especially this late at night.

The conversation was even more strange however: they had been talking about something called Kindly ones. Leo had heard that term before but like so often he could not place it.

His Cambridge Guide to Greek mythology was laying on his bedside and mocking him, but the last time Leo had opened the book the letters had been having way to much fun dancing across the page, he could not face them again so soon.

"They were talking about duties as well and some kind of deadline..."

Leo blinked at Percy.

"What kind of duties? And what deadline."

Percy furrowed his brow.

"The deadline was something about summer solstice and the duties..."

He shrugged.

"I don't know, but Grover said he cold not fail them again."

Leo contemplated that for moment, but he could not make sense of it either. Grover had no duties at school, it wasn't like he was class president or something.

Percy was still fidgeting and what little color he had gained back during their conversation was gone again.

"There was more."

He spoke so fast that he seemed to stumble over the words. Leo frowned in return.

"Percy?"

His friend took a deep breath, apparently steeling himself for what was about to come.

"They talked about us... well, me more then you."

Leos brow furrowed further and Percy nodded.

"Yeah sounds strange right, well they were talking like we were in danger or something."

Leos heart nearly stopped for a second.

He remembered what Percy had told him about Mrs Dodds turning into dust – just like the man that had gotten him thrown out off his last foster family before Sally had taken him in, he also remembered Percy manipulating the water and his own curios abilities.

Leos swallowed before relaying his thoughts to Percy who grimaced, but the agreement was clear in his eyes.

"Well."

When Leo spoke up again his voice sounded strangely hoarse.

"There it is our prove, something is going on."

Percy nodded in agreement. Something was going on and they had somehow found themselves unwillingly taking part in it.

"Yeah."

Despite the fact that they had been turning over this matter in their heads for a while now and they had finally gotten an answer, they both didn't sound all that happy about it.

–

Leo had not expected it to be possible, but the next day thing got even worse. They had just survived the Latin exam and after they had handed in their sheets they could leave.

He was quite sure that he wold rather never get the result for this exam and the slightly dazed look on his best friends face told him that Percy had likely not done that well either.

But since there was no way the results would already be out just after they had written the text leo was kind of surprised when Mr Brunner called Percy back into the classroom.

Percy turned halfway and gave Leo a short look telling him that no, he had not done anything and there should be no problem.

Leo grinned nodded and leaned against the wall next to the door, preparing to wait.

The voiced were slightly muffled from the nearly closed door, but Leo could still make out what they were saying. He hoped the conversation wouldn't be to private, especially since some of the students were still working. In the silent room even Mr Brunners quite voice would be easily understandable.

"Percy. Don't be discouraged about leaving Yancy. It's... it's for the best."

Their teachers voice was so kind that it took Leo a moment to connect his tone with what the man had actually said. Percys voice was barely understandable.

"Okay, sir."

Leo did not understand how his friend could agree with that, at least not really. He knew that Percy admired Mr Brunner and that the man was his best friends favorite teacher ever, but still...

"I mean..."

Mr Brunner paused for a moment.

"This isn't the right place for you. It was only a matter of time."

Leo had never admired Mr Brunner like Percy had, but he had always thought him to be a fair and nice kind of guy. He was revising his opinion now, there was no way that a nice guy would say something like that to a student that admired him, especially not in front of his class.

When Percy answered his voice was suspiciously shaky.

"Right."

Mr Brunner seemed to have noticed it as well and tried to backtrack.

"No,No. Oh, confound it all. What I'm trying to say .. your not normal, Percy."

He wasn't very successful if anything he only made it worse and Leo was shifting from being appalled to being angry.

"That's nothing to be-"

"Thanks."

Percy cut Mr Brunner of and one could easily hear that the words had hurt him. No one in the class made a sound.

"Thanks a lot, sir, for reminding me."

Brunner apparently hadn't said enough yet.

"Percy-"

But Percy was no longer listening, he stormed out of the classroom, not looking left our right. Even with only the short glance he had managed to get at his best friends face as he stormed past, leo had seen enough to know that his friend was crying.

Leo could not remember ever being so angry in his life. Of course he had been angry before, but this time he wasn't furiously angry or scared angry, it was more like a hurt or disappointed kind of angry.

Not hot and searing, but surprisingly cold.

Mr Brunner was still in the front of the classroom a deep frown on his face and he did not look all that happy. Leo felt however that the man wasn't looking quite miserably enough. His teacher looked up when Leo pushed the door slightly open and met his gaze.

Leo could feel the fire licking at his fingers, but he fought it down instead he simply gave the man his most heartfelt glare. Ignoring the looks he got from his classmates.

Mr Brunner grimaced.

"It did not come out quite right."

Leo snorted.

"Spare me your excuses. I have more important things to do then listen to them."

The older man nevertheless cleared his throat the same way he did whenever he was staring a longer lecture in class.

"Leo-"

But Leo ignored him and walked out of the door, intend on finding Percy.

–

Finding Percy wasn't all that hard. His best friend had gone straight back to their room, thrown his backpack into the corner and had buried his face in the pillow.

He wasn't sobbing but Leo had a feeling that his friend was still crying. Plopping down on the bed next to his best friend Leo simply leaned against the wall, wondering what he should do and wishing that Sally was there.

Percys mum was absolutely great at cheering people up, but they would not see her until the end of the school years and even then that joy was damped by the present of Smelly Gabe who seemed to get more and more unpleasant every time Leo saw him.

It was Percy who broke the silence, though he did not remove his head from the pillow making his voice sound slightly muffled.

"You know, I thought..."

Percy trailed of and huffed a laugh that sounded far to bitter to be allowed to come form his friend.

"I thought Mr Brunner actually believed, that I could do things right."

Leo wasn't sure what to say to that since he had thought the same thing. He wanted to speak up and tell Percy that Mr Brunner hadn't meant it like that, but he knew form experience that false hope hurt far more then no hope, because that way the only surprises you got were positive.

He settled for humming in agreement unearthing the last of their sweet stock.

–

Mr Brunner tried to talk to Percy several times after that, apparently the teacher had figured out that his words were anything but fair and not something he should have ever said. Leo wasn't quite sure why the man had done so in the first place. He had thought back to the conversation quite a number of times and had to concede that it could have been a very badly worded attempt to cheer Percy up.

The problem with that trail of thought was, that Mr Brunner usually was very good at talking and bringing across what he really meant to say.

In the end it didn't really matter, because Percy proved that he had absolutely no trouble avoiding their teacher who had seemingly gone as far as to talk to Grover to get a word with Percy. Seeing the frustrated expression on the mans face Leo was tempted to speak to Percy and tell him to at least listen to what Mr Brunner had to say, but then he remembered his friends face and still subdued mood as well and he pushed that thought aside.

They would leave Yancy and it was highly unlikely that they would ever see the man again.

Right now they were in their dorm and packing up their stuff unlike some of the other students who would be returning next year they had to make sure they left nothing behind because they could not simply go to pick it up at the janitors office at the start of the next term.

Neither of them had been very close to most of their classmates, it was a side effect of already having your best friend along for the ride as well as the fact that they had decided to add Grover to their group. When they had heard that Percy and Leo would not be returning next term they had wished them good luck, but it hadn't really bothered them.

Grover was also the only one of their new acquaintances that Leo would miss, even if hanging out around him had been a little strange after the disaster with Mr Brunner. Still Grover was their friend and Leo was thankful to spent a little more time with him

Even if it was only the trip in the Greyhound back to Manhattan.

The trip didn't quite happen they way Leo, or even Percy judging by the raised eyebrow his friend was portraying, had expected to. Grover kept acting like he expected someone to attack them any given moment.

Leo had seen him act this way before – whenever they had left Yancy Grover had been acting very nervous and fidgety, looking like he expected something bad to happen to them any given moment – but never to this extend.

Before Leo and Percy had put it aside as Grovers fear about getting bullied, but during the bus right his behavior could be described as nothing but overly paranoid especially since there was no one that could tease him on the Greyhound with them.

Frankly the constant looking over his shoulder and staring at the other passengers was getting annoying. When Grover actually sniffed one of them Percy snapped.

"Looking for kindly ones?"

It was not quite what Leo would have said especially considering that Leo had found the whole situation far to creepy to be comfortable with it, but Grovers reaction was glorious.

He nearly jumped out of his seat squeaking loudly and drawing the attention of several other passengers, but only when the attention had been drawn away from them again did he speak up.

"What do you mean?"

He sounded nervous and terrified. Giving the description Percy had given him of the thing that might have once been Mrs Dodds Leo could understand that, it did not mean that he was not going to exploit it.

"He might have heard it somewhere."

Percy shoot him a look, but did not interrupt Leos abbreviated explanation.

"He might have overheard a conversation between a certain Mr Underwood and some guy in a wheelchair."

Leo might have been more polite to Mr Brunner if he wasn't still angry with him.

Grovers gaze switched from Leo to Percy correctly understanding that the latter had been the one to overhear the conversation.

"How much did you hear?"

Percy shrugged, seemingly unconcerned even if they both knew he had been shaken up about what he had heard.

"Oh not much. So what's the summer solstice deadline?"

Grover nearly jumped out of his seat again, but this time he did not make a sound. Instead he winced looking more then slightly uncomfortable.

"Look Percy..."

He sent a short look in Leos direction as if unsure what to make of his presence.

"I was just worried for you, see? I mean hallucinating about demon math teachers..."

Leo could not believe Grover was going there and Percy seemed to be shocked as well if his friend attempt to interrupt Grover where any indication.

"Grover-"

It seemed that Grover would not allow himself to be interrupted.

"And I was telling Mr Brunner that maybe you were overstressed or something, because there was no such person as Mrs Dodds-"

Grover did not get further then that as Leo had jumped to his feat and grabbed his friend by the collar before slamming him against his seat again.

His actions got him some sharp looks from the other passengers, but Leo ignored them. He wasn't quite sure what he was going to say to Grover, but he could not take that lying any longer.

Leo usually wasn't a very violent person, maybe it was him that was overstressed but the thing was not even Grovers wide eyed look and the feel off the flames slowly crawling to the surface made him feel bad about it.

He was just about to open his mouth when Percy hand landed on his arm and pulled him away from Grover.

Grovers wide eyes did not leave Leo, but Percys attention went back to Grover after giving Leo a look that called him to calm down, now.

"Grover you are a really, really bad liar."

Only when Percy spoke did their classmates remove his eyes from him but he still seemed vary. Leo started to feel a little bad about it.

He did not continue to give them any excuses however, so it had worked at least somewhat.

They had done the good cop bad cop act without even having to talk about it fist completely unplanned and unintentional at that.

Grover fished a business card from his pocket and handed it to Percy.

"Look.."

He sent Leo another uncertain looks.

"I can't tell you, just take this."

He gestured to the card.

"In case you need me this summer.

Leo was considering asking why Grover couldn't tell them but somehow he was pretty sure that whatever the reason was, and he was sure their friend had a reason, it was a good one so he simply nodded, promoting Grover to breath a sigh of relief.

Instead he turned his attention to the card in Percys hand. The first thing he noticed when he glanced over his friends shoulder was the ridiculously fancy script, that Leo was sure even people without dyslexia had trouble reading.

If it weren't for the apoplectic look on Grovers face, Leo might have accused him on doing that on purpose.

It took Leo a moment to read the script.

Grover Underwood

Keeper

Half-Blood Hill

Long Island, New York

_(800) 009-0009_

Percy had finished around the same time as him, or at least Leo assumed so, since it was then that his friend started asking questions.

"What's Half-"

"Don't say it aloud!"

Grover interrupted him sounding slightly panicky again. This conversation could not be good for the guys blood pressure.

"That's my, um … summer address."

In Leos mind that was all nice and well. Wherever this Half blood thingy was, Leo wasn't all that interested. He wanted to know what a keeper was, since that was apparently Grovers job.

Percy spoke up again before he could ask that question however.

"Okay. So, like, if I want to come visit your mansion."

The thought of Grover owning a mansion was a strange one, but the other boy nodded in agreement. Well, Leo mused, Yancy was a school for rich kids after all.

"Or..."

He looked at Leo again who simply gazed back at him.

"Or if you need me."

Percy blinked.

"Why would I need you?"

Leo raised his eyebrows at his friends harsh question. Percy wasn't a master at tact, but he usually was way batter at phrasing his questions so that people might get annoyed, but not hurt.

Grover on the other hand went beedred, not in anger, but in embarrassment.  
"Look, Percy, the truth is, I-"

Grover swallowed.

"I kind of have to protect you."

Percy stared at him, but Leo could not hold back a snort.

The thought of Grover protecting Percy was a ridiculous one, after all it had been the other way around, with Percy and Leo making sure that the other kids did not make fun of their new friend and keeping him from taking a dive into the toilet.

The funniest thing about it though, was the fact that Grover looked absolutely serious.

"Grover."

Percy sounded as confused, but not as amused as Leo felt.

"What exactly are you protecting me from?"

But they never got an answer.

Suddenly there was a huge grinding noise under their feet. Black smoke poured from the dashboard and the whole bus filled with a smell like rotten eggs.

The driver cursed and limped the Greyhound over to the side of the highway.

After a few minutes of clanking around in the engine compartment, the driver announced that they'd all have to get off so they did, but their conversation had been effectively interrupted.

They were on a stretch of country road – no place one would notice of one didn't break down there. On their side of the highway was nothing but maple trees and litters from passing cars. Grover gave the trash a harsh glare.

On the other side, across four lanes of asphalt shimmering with afternoon heat, was an old fashioned fruit stand.

The stuff on sale actually looked really good: heaping boxes of bloodred cherries and apples, walnuts and apricots, jugs of cider in a claw food tub filled with ice. Leo usually wasn't one for fruits and the likes if he could get a burger, but he had learned to appreciate them under Sallys care mostly because the woman had given him a look when he had told her that he did not like fruits and vegetables.

It was strange thought, that there were no costumers at all, just three old ladies in rocking chairs sitting in the shade of one of the maple trees and knitting together and using a rather fetching shade of blue at that.

The strangest thing about the ladies wasn't that they were knitting socks in a size that Leo was pretty sure no one had ever produced shoes for, everyone was allowed to have a curious hobby after all, but the fact that they were sitting next to one of the highways. Especially with a fruit stand like that. Thy would make loads more profit of they set it up somewhere else.

Maybe they didn't because the trip would e to much for them in their advanced age: All three of the ladies were ancient. They had pale faces that were wrinkled like and silver hair that they had tied back with white bandanas and wore bleached cotton dresses.

Leo was pretty sure they were related, but it was kinda hard to tell with old people.

They were also looking straight at Percy as Leo noted when his friend paced paced back and force a little and their eyes followed him. It was rather creepy.

Percy and Grover seemed to have noticed them as well.

Somehow three ladies knitting together tickled something in the back of his mind, but Leo could not quite place it. If he judged the panicked look on Grovers face correctly however his friend could.

Grover looked absolutely terrified. Even Mrs Dodds hadn't scared the boy like that and given what that woman had turned out to be, Leo was feeling more then slightly uneasy about the Knitting ladies.

Percy had noticed Grovers distressed state as well and given their earlier incident in the bus it was probably better for Percy to deal wit this – he was better with people anyway.

"Grover, hey man-"

But Grover interrupted him his voice urgent and thick with terror.

"Tell me they're not looking at you. They are, aren't they?"

Percy seemed taken aback by the forceful question.

"Yeah weird huh?"

Percy grinned slightly, but he seemed concerned, whether it was about the ladies, or their friend Leo wasn't sure, but ether seemed justified.

"You think those sock would fit me?"

Grovers voice was flat, but his breathing had become slightly erratic.

"Not funny, Percy. Not funny at all."

Part of Leo agreed, mostly because he remembered where he had heard about three knitting ladies before, but he went along with it, taking Percys statement as the tension breaker it was supposed to be, it wouldn't do for Grover to start hyperventilating in the middle of an highway.

"Nah not really. Unless there is something about your dad that your mum hadn't told you yet. She really should though, because I you get that big I am so moving to another room."

Percy snorted and sent Leo a grateful nod, that stopped midway when he realized that Grover had nearly swallowed his own tongue.

Leo wanted to ask him what was wrong this time but before he got to it the other boy breathed in so sharply and stumbled back, nearly falling because he got tangled up with his crutches.

Curious Leo followed Grovers gaze back to the old ladies. They were still staring at Percy, but now one of them, the one in the middle, had taken out a really huge pair of scissors – gold and silver with long blades, like shears.

Grovers breath caught and grabbed Percys arm.

"We are getting on the bus."

He turned to Leo as well, and his gaze was pleading and very desperate.

"Come on."

Leo followed before he had time to think about it. There was no way that his thoughts had taken the right direction.

It just could not be.

Percy did not seem have caught Grovers desperation however, because he argued.

"What? It's a thousand degrees in there!"

Not that Leo did not think he did not have a good point, but he really wanted to get away from the fa- the ladies.

"Come on."

Grover pried open the door and tried to drag Percy along, but the other boy stayed where he was. Despite himself Leo did as well.

Percy looked back and Leo did too.

The ladies were still watching Percy, but now something about them seemed almost menacing. The middle one raised the scissors and cut the yarn and Leo could hear the snip echo about the eerily quite highway. It seemed the the mutters of the other passengers had died away together with the cursing of the driver.

A shiver went down his spine and he turned to Percy again, away from the ladies who were packing of their stuff as if that for which they had been there had been done.

The sound returned with the roar of the engine and and the cheer of the passengers as the bus sprang to live again.

"Damn right!"

The driver was cheering as well as he slapped the bus with his hat.

"Everybody back on board!"

The only people not cheering where Percy, Grover and Leo, even as they sat back down on their previous seats.

Percy sat shivering and rubbing his arms as if the heat he had been complaining about before was gone.

Grover didn't look much better, he too was shivering and his eyes were chattering.

Leo on the other hand wasn't feeling cold as much as he was feeling numb. The snip of the scissors cutting the yarn rang in his mind again and again.

It was Percy who broke the silence, midway through another snip and Leo flinched when his best friend spoke up.

"Grover?"

The other boy made a sound to show that he was listening.

"What are you not telling us?"

Leo wanted to know that as well no matter how unwell and shaken up he was feeling.

Grover did not answer at first, instead he dabbed his forehead with hi short sleeve.

"Percy, what did you see at the fruit stand?"

He did pose it as a question, but Leo was pretty sure that Grover did not really want to know. Percy choose to ask more questions instead.

Leo was fine with that – he didn't want to remember the knitting ladies either.

"You mean the old ladies? What about them man?"

Percy posed only for a second before carrying on and asking a question to which the answer Leo was dreading.

"They are not like... Mrs Dodds, are they?"

Curiously enough Grovers face gave pretty much nothing away and if Leo did not already have a suspicion who those ladies had been – ridiculous as it sounded even in his head – then maybe he would believe that Grover knew nothing.

Leo didn't know what Percy saw in their friends closed off expression, but judging from the darkening of his face he had had more success then Leo himself.

"Just tell me what you saw."

Percy gave Grover a sharp and assertive look, something that looked decidedly out of place on his face.

"The middle one took out her scissors, and she cut the yarn."

Leo shivered and watched as Grover made a gesture with his fingers that might have been crossing himself, but it wasn't. It was something else, something far older. Percy too looked disquieted as he watched their friend.

When Grover spoke his voice sounded hopelessly lost.

"You saw her snip the cord."

"Yeah. So?"

Percy was trying to sound calm and collected, but he failed. His voice did not break, but there was a quality to it that made quite clear that he was uncomfortable. Leo wasn't sure if Grover picked up on it, but Leo grabbed Percys arm and squeezed it tightly.

When his friend looked over to him he gave him a sharp not – whatever it was, they would see it through.

Their attention was drawn back to Grover however when the boy started muttering to himself.

"I don't want this to be like the last time?"

Leo furrowed his brow.

"What last time?"

Grover ignored them, even as Percy repeated the question, instead he kept muttering to himself looking absolutely miserable.

"Always sixth grade. They never get past sixth grade."

"Grover."

Percy was starting to sound as uncomfortable as Leo felt since he had seen the yarn being cut.

"What are you talking about?"

But Grover gave no answer. It seemed like he was steeling himself for something before he looked at them and determined.

"Let me walk you home from the bus station. Promise me."

Leo caught the look that Percy sent him from the corner of his eye, but he only shrugged slightly. This was Percy decision and whatever happened he would back him all the way.

Percy promised but something told Leo that this was not a promise that his friend would keep. Especially not with the way Grover kept glancing at him mournfully. The looks were rubbing Leo the wrong way, he wanted to grab Grover again and slam him against the wall, before demanding answers, but he was simply to tired of this.

–

As it turned out Leo had been correct in his assumption, that Percy did not intend to keep his promise. Leo couldn't really blame him, he too was more then slightly creep out by the fact that their friend kept muttering to himself. Repeating words like "sixth grade" and "never".

In this case it was fortunate thought, that Grover was upset, because whenever he was upset his bladder kept acting up. Given that they already knew this neither Percy nor Leo was surprised when their friend rushed off to the bathroom after making them promise to wait for them.

As soon as Grover was out of sight Percy turned towards Leo.

"Let's go."

They grabbed their suitcases and slipped outside before catching a taxi uptown. Most of the way back home they spend in silence, but they agreed to keep the strange happenings quite for now.

Sally had enough on per plate as it was, there was no need to worry her with this as well, the fact that they had been expelled again would put enough stress on her as it was.

–

The thing about Sally Jackson was this: She was the most amazing person in the world and Leo would tell that anybody who asked.

He had liked her when they had first met and Leo had not had that many great experiences with adults, be they male or female after his mother had died, so it had come as quite the surprise for him.

Over the years his image on the woman had only improved – not many people took in a troubled kid when they had one on their own.

She was also prove of the theory Percy had come up with some time ago: The best people had the rottenest luck. Apparently Sallys own parents had died in a plane crash when she had been very small and then she had been raised by an uncle who, while he took care of her, didn't care per se.

She had wanted to be a novelist, and if her story telling skills were any indication Leo was sure she would write great books, so she had worked during her high school years to save up enough money for a college with a good creative-writing program.

Live had gotten in her way again, as her uncle had gotten cancer and she had to drop out of school in her senior year to take care of him. After he had ultimately died Sally had been left with no family, no money and no diploma.

Apparently the only break Sally ever got was meeting Percys dad, something which according to Percy might have been great then but ended getting her into even more trouble, namely Percy.

Leo wasn't quite sure he agreed with his best friend in that regard. He could understand that having a kid like Percy could be difficult – never mind taking in Leo as well – but he had seen the way Sallys face would glow when she was around her son.

She loved him and having him was worth all the hardships to her. His own mum had said that as well when Leo had asked her about it, but only now that he actually saw it himself could he bring himself to believe it. It was a good feeling.

Because just like his mum had never married his dad, Sally had never married Percys. From what little Percy knew about his dad he had been rich and important and apparently the guys relationship with Sally had been a secret.

All in all it sounded more like an affair, but with the way Sally sometimes talked about him she had loved him a lot – maybe she still did and given the fact that Sally was pretty smart she would not fall for a guys lies like that.

Percys dad had to take a trip and had gotten lost at the sea. The wording was something that seemed important to her, Leo didn't quite get it and neither did Percy, but they respected it.

Well after her life had gotten the addition of Percy, Sally had worked on odd jobs and taken night classes to get her school diploma all while raising her son on his own.

Given what her life had been like it would have been pretty easy to imagine Sally as an overworked and stressed woman, but she wasn't. And even that did not seem to be enough bad luck for Sally. She just had to marry Gabriel Ugliano, whom Percy had named Smelly Gabe. It was a pretty nice and fitting name, given the fact, that the guy smelled moldy garlic pizza wrapped in very old and unwashed gym shorts.

Gabe and Sally had already been married by the time Leo had met Percy and he could not quite wrap his head around the fact that a woman like Sally Jackson, thankfully she did keep her last name Percy stubborn steak had to come from somewhere, would marry a guy like that.

At first Leo had thought that Gabe had acted differently when Sally had first met him and only showed what a big asshole he was after Sally had married him, but Percy had told him that that wasn't the case.

Gabe was and had always been an asshole and he was proving it again and again, like the day Leo and Percy came home from school after ditching Grover.

–

Leo watched as Percy paid the taxi driver in front of the small flat they lived it. He hoped that Sally was already home and knew that Percy hoped the same thing.

Facing Gabe with Sally was bad enough, but without Percys mum running interference the boys interactions with Sallys insignificant other always ended it trouble.

Unfortunately their hopes were for naught instead of Sally greeting them with a smile they were greeted with the sight of Smelly Gabe sitting in the living room and playing poker with his buddies. The television blared ESPN and chips and beer cans were strewn all over the once pretty carpet.

Gabe did not even deign to turn around to face them, Leo would have been thankful if that hadn't included being thankful to Gabe, but he did his own version of a greeting.

"So, you're home."

Gabe was a lovely person, Leo mused as he forced himself not to respond with something sarcastic that would escalate the situation while Percy asked the one question that mattered.

"Where is mom?"

Gabe still did not turn around.

"Working. You got cash?"

There is was the customary Gabe greeting. Percy grimaced slightly and Leo shot a glare at the mans back.

Smelly Gabe looked even worse then when they had left him. He had put on weight meaning that by now he looked like a tuskless walrus in thrift-store clothes. On his hair there were about three hairs, all combed over his bald scalp.

Leo was pretty sure that Gabe thought himself to e handsome with his dashing hairstyle, personally Leo had sworn to himself should he ever get a bald head he would do the dignified thing and shear of the remaining hairs.

There were very few thing that were embarrassing in any situation and combing hair over a very obvious bald spot was one of them.

Gabe managed the electronic Mega_Mart in Queens, but he actually did that from the couch at home Leo had no idea. The only explanation that he could come up with, was that he had a very competed deputy.

Why no one ever fired him was something that Leo and Percy could not figure out. As it was Gabe kept collecting paychecks and spent them on beer and on cigars that made out a great part of the original eu de Gabe and more beer.

There was another thing about Gabe that made clear just how much of a waste of space he was: whenever Percy and Leo were home he expected them to provide his gambling funds – Leo had long since decided that that was the only reason Gabe hadn't made a bigger fuss about Leo moving in. He called the gambling fund arrangement their "guy secret" which pretty much translated to: If you tell Sally I will punch your lights out.

"I don't have any cash."

Percys voice was terse. There were few people his best friend really disliked and Gabe had even Nancy beat.

In response to Percys words Gabe simply raised his greasy eyebrows.

The things was that the one skill Gabe seemed to have was his ability to sniff out money like a bloodhound, the skill was even more mysterious then Leos and now Percys powers, because there was simply no way that Gabe should be able to smell anything over his own body odor.

"You took a taxi from the bus station."

Gabes voice was calm, the threat carefully hidden.

"Probably paid with a twenty. Got six, seven bucks in change."

After that Gabe actually turned around to glare at them, mostly at Percy though since Leo had manged to keep his mouth shut so far.

"Somebody expects to live under this roof, he ought to carry his own weight. Am I right Eddie?"

Eddie, the super of the apartment building, glanced from Leo to Percy with a twinge of sympathy. From all of Gabes friends he was the most decent one – which didn't mean much, but credit where credit is due.

"Come on Gabe. The kid just got here."

When Gabe spoke this time the threat was clear, even if it wasn't directed at Percy and Leo.

"Am I right?"

Eddie scowled into his bowl of pretzels. The other two guys passed gas is harmony. Leo nearly gagged.

"Fine."

Percy wasn't even attempting to hide his dislike for the man before him anymore. He dug a wad of dollars from his pocket and threw them on the table.

"I hope you loose."

With those words Percy grabbed Leos arm and dragged him with him to the room they shared. Gabe shouted after them.

"Your report card came, brain boy! From the both of you, with grades like that I wouldn't act so snotty!"

He was saying more, but due to Percy slamming the door behind them it wasn't possible to understand.

The room they shared with pretty small, smaller then their dorm room and before they had gotten to a boarding school it had been home, now that was no longer really the case.

During school month Gabe insisted to use it as his home office. Not that the man studies anything but old car magazines, but he loved shoving their stuff in the closet, leaving his muddy boots on the window still and doing his best to make the room smell even worse then Gabe himself.

After Leo and Percy had gotten back during their first holidays they had been shocked and outraged. Sally had tried to calm them down, but it had felt like someone had desecrated their home. Officially there was nothing they could do. For a store manager a home office sounded like a pretty good thing after all.

It had been Percy to come up with the plan and Leo had set it up. When they had come home the next time Gabe no longer dared to set a foot into their room. Sally had given them a stern look, but there had been amusement in it as well.

As it was the only thing Gabe dared to do about there room was make it smell nasty, so when Percy dropped up their suitcases Leo went over to the window and pushed it open. In a few hours it would be liveable again.

When Leo turned around again his best friend was looking unnaturally pale.

"Percy?"

Percy did not answer seemingly lost in though and Leo felt panic claw up his throat. When the door open he nearly screamed.

Nearly because the face and the voice that greeted him chased the panic away.

"Percy? Leo?"

Sally opened the bedroom door and Percy relaxed as well.

Sally Jackson can make people feel good simply by walking into a room. Her eyes sparkled and seemed to change color in the light. Her smile was warm like a quilt. She's got a few gray streaks mixed in her long brown hair – more since she took in Leo – but no one would ever describe her as old.

When she saw them – Percy specially- the few years that you could actually count on her seemed to fade away and her smile got even wider.

"Oh Percy, Leo!"

She hugged Percy tightly and smiled brightly at Leo over her sons shoulder.

"I can't believe it! Look how much you have grown since Christmas!"

Leo could not help his next question.

"I have?"

His height had always been a sore topic for him but if he had really grown then he could even ignore Percys snickering at his question.

Sally beamed at him.

"You have."

Percys mum had apparently rushed into their room as soon as she had arrived. She was still wearing her red-white-and-blue Sweet in America uniform that smelled like all the good stuff that she sold in the candy shop in Grand central.

She had also brought them each a huge bag of "free samples", just like they always did when they came home from school.

The three of them sat together on Percys bed and ate the sweet Sally had brought them as they told her about their school year. Neither the fact that they had gotten themselves expelled again nor the strange monsters were mention as to not spoil the mood. They also kept quite about Mr Brunners words.

Leo would like to see Sally face off against the man, but it would only mean more stress for her and that wasn't worse it.

It was a great time, but unfortunately good times never last all that long.

This time it was Gabe who ended it, yelling from the next room.

"Hey sally – how about some bean dip, huh?"

Leo could hear Percy grit his teeth and it wasn't a pleasant sound, not that he did not agree with his best friend. Sally deserved so much better then the asshole who called himself her husband.

She also was a very observant person – she noticed immediately that they switched narrator at certain happenings and that they did not mention one word about the school trip to the museum. When she asked about it Percy clammed up and Leo who had been frozen for a second as well could not cover fast enough.

"Percy?"

Her son did not answer so she turned her gaze on Leo who did not meet her gaze.

"Did something scare you?"

The idea of telling his mum seemed to rip Percy from his memories. From what Percy had remembered from his conversation with Mrs Dodds, they had known about Leo to a point but there had been no mention of Sally and the boys had agreed to keep her safe.

"No mom."

Percy smile would have convinced most people, but Leo knew that Sally was not most people. He was sure that she knew that something was up, still she let the matter rest for know and changed the topic.

"I have a surprise for you."

Her smile was wide.

"We are going to the beach."

Percys eyes widened and he nearly glowed.

"To Montauk?"

Sally nodded.

"Three nights – same cabin."

Percy was now bouncing in his seat.

"When?"

Sally laughed at her sons enthusiasm.

"As soon as I get changed."

Leo had heard about Montauk off course but he had never been there himself. From what he knew Sally and Percys used to go there every summer until they took him in. Leo was pretty sure that Gabe had used the argument that there wasn't enough money as well to point put to Sally that she could not simply take in other rotten brats – read Leo – and expect the same privileges.

No one had ever blamed Leo for it, but he had felt bad still. Now he was nervous.

Montauk was something that Sally and Percys shared it had to do with Percys real dad and he did not want to intrude.

Maybe he could offer to stay behind, even if staying with Gabe would be terrible, three days would be survivable. But before he could bring up the matter Sally turned towards him.

"You pack your stuff as well okay?"

She chuckled sightly.

"It's high time that you get to see Montauk as well."

Leo wasn't sure what to say to that, so part of him was actually glad when Gabe appeared in the doorway.

"Bean dip, Sally? Didn't you hear me?"

As soon as Gabe had opened his mouth however all traces of thankfulness were gone and instead Leo wanted to punch the man and he was pretty sure Percy was even more furious.

To Leo Sally was the lady that had taken him in, his best friends mom and maybe kind of like an aunt, if the term would not taste so bitter on his tongue, but to Percy she was his everything.

He was pretty sure that Percy had been called a mommas boy more then once and while he did not appreciate the taunting Percy never denied it.

And so when Sally gave him and Percy a quick look they both calmed down. Making a scene with Gabe now would most likely make it impossible for them to go to the beach and while the thought of going there still made him uncomfortable there was no way Leo was going to ruin this for Sally and Percy.

Sally simply smiled at Gabe.

"I was on my way, honey."

How she could use such a term of endearment for that man was impossible for Leo to comprehend.

"We were just talking about the trip."

Gabe scowled, his face turning even more ugly then it had already been.

"The trip?"

He scoffed.

"You mean you were serious about that?"

Percys scowl was even darker then Gabes.

"I knew it. He won't let us go."

Gabes smile was nasty, but before he could say anything Sally ran interference.

"Of course he will."

Her voice was calm.

"Your stepfather is just worried about money. That's all. Besides."

She turned to Gabe and this time fixed him with a look. There was nothing threatening about it, it was simply firm.

"Gabriel won't have to settle for bean dip. I'll make him enough seven-layer dip for the whole weekend. Guacamole. Sour cream. The works."

Gabes expression cleared a little and Leo was impressed. Sally was pretty good at the bribing thing. Still she hadn't won quite yet.

"So this money for your trip... it comes out of your clothes budget, right?"

Sally nodded. Clothes budget really wasn't an appropriate name for the budged Gabe was alluding to, since it was also the budged Sally used to be groceries and and everything else.

"Yes, honey."

But the ass pressed on.

"Any you won't take my car anywhere but there and back."

Again he got a nod, Percy and Leo stayed silent.

"We'll be very careful."

Gabe scratched his double chin that was doing its best to become a triple chin.

"Maybe if you hurry with that seven-layer dip."

He smiled nastily.

"And maybe if the kids apologize for interrupting my poker game."

Leo bit his lip to keep from pointing out that they would have very happily ignored Gabe when they had come, they wouldn't even have talked to him if Gabe hadn't asked for cash.

Percy looked unhappy as well, but he swallowed his pride.

"I'm sorry. Really sorry that I interrupted your incredibly important poker game. Please go back to it now."

Leo tried his best to look contrite and not show the fact that he wanted to laugh at Percys words.

"Very sorry."

Gabes eyes narrowed and for a moment Leo feared that the man had actually somehow managed to collect the necessary brain power to understand sarcasm. That fear was unfounded however.

"Yeah, whatever."

He went back to his Gabe and Leo wondered how he had ever managed to get his manager position.

"Thank you."

Sallys smiled at them again.

"Once we get to Montauk, we'll talk some more... even about what you have forgotten to tell me."

Leo could have sworn that Sally had looked a little scared for a moment, but whatever he had seen in her eyes was gone before he could make sure.

He could not even try to figure out more as Sally left the room to make Gabe his dip. Leo glanced at Percy and the two of them shared a look. He had seen it as well. Something was wrong and it seemed that Sally – just like Grover – knew more then she let on.

–

An hour later they were ready to leave. Gabe took a pause from his poker game to watch as Leo and Percy carried Sallys bag to the car. He kept griping and groaning about loosing her cooking for the whole weekend.

"Not one scratch on the car, boys."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Not one little scratch."

When Gabe said the part about the car he fixed his gaze on Leo and for once he actually had a reason to be suspicious. Gabe used to have a '78 Camaro. Note the Used to.

After a little accident that car was no more. Leo thought it was a pretty good thing that no one, except maybe Percy, could prove that he had anything to do with it, but that did not stop Gabe from being suspicious.

Leo did not really thing that Gabe needed to worry about his car. It wasn't like Sally would allow him or Percy to drive – she was much to responsible for that. He was also aware of the fact, that to Gabe that would not male a difference. Percy and Leo would be blamed if a seagull pooped on his paint job.

When Gabe lumbered back to the apartment building Percy finally snapped and Leo bore witness to another strange happening. This one wasn't scary though.

Leo had just been about to get into the car when Percy repeated the gesture he had already seen Grover do on the bus. He held a clawed hand over his heart before making a shoving motion towards his stepfather.

He had followed the movement mainly out of boredom, not because he had expected something to happen. But happen something did.

The screen door slammed shut so hard that it whacked Gabe in the butt and sent him flying up the staircase as if he had been shot from a cannon. Maybe it was just a freak coincidence, an accident with the hinges maybe, but given the happenings around them so far Leo was beginning to loose his believe that there was such a thing as coincidence.

Percy and Leo exchanged one glance before they scrambled into the car intend on not being around once Gabe collected himself. He would find a way to blame it on them as well.

Percy told Sally to step on it, while Leo fastened his seat belt and they were off.

Seeing Gabe fall down the stairs was a pretty cool way to start the holidays.

–

Their rental cabin was on the south shore, way out at the tip of Long Island. It was a little pastel box with faded curtains, half sunken into the dunes. From was Percy had recounted there was always sand in the sheets and spiders in the cabinets and most of the time the sea was too cold to swim.

Still Percys, as well as Sally, seemed to love the place.

Leo guessed it was kind of idyllic, but he was more of a city kind of guy, the more machines the better. He was still looking forward to the trip though, even if he was sure Sally was looking forward to it the most.

The closer they got to their destination the younger she seemed to become. All the tiredness and worry seemed to fall away from her and her eyes sparkled happily.

They arrived at sunset, opened all the cabin's windows, and went through a seemingly practiced cleaning routine that, as Sally remarked, worked even better with Leo joining them.

When it got dark they made a fire on the beach and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. Sally told them stories of when she had been a kid and Leo actually recounted some of the memories he had of his mother.

The topic of the books that sally planned on writing one day was brought up as well and when she had just recounted the plot of one of them Percy brought up the elephant that had seemed to hang in the air since they had arrive din Montauk that things got a little uncomfortable for Leo.

Percys father.

When Sally answered there was something familiar about her words, as if she had said them time and time again, but they were still heartfelt and her eyes were misty.

"He was very kind."

Her smile was reminiscent and her eyes unfocused slightly as she lost herself in her memories.

Leo could not help but wonder what his won father had been like, his mom had once said that one day he would meet him and everything would make sense.

"Tall, handsome ad powerful."

She paused for a moment, her eyes on the sea.

"But gentle, too. You have his black hair,you know, and his green eyes."

Sally fished out a blue jelly bean from her candy bag.

"I wish he could see you, Percy. He would be so proud."

Until then Percy had been listening intently soaking up every words his mother spoke, but as soon as she spoke the p-word he froze.

Leo could understand that. He ha that problem as well: Every time his mother had told him she had been proud of him he had found that hard to believe. Especially with aunt Rosas constant insistence, that he was more trouble than he was worth.

"How old was I?"

Percys voice brought Leos mind back to the present, and he wished It hadn't. This really was a conversation that he had no part in.

"I mean when he left?"

Sally watched the flames.

"He was only with me for one summer, Percy. Right here at this beach. This cabin."

Percys brow furrowed.  
"But.. he knew me as a baby?"

It was somewhere between a question and a statement.

"No honey. He knew I was expecting a baby, but he never saw you. He had to leave before you were born."

Percys expression fell and Leo remembered how his friend had once confided the one memory he had of his father to him after Leo had woken up from a nightmare. It wasn't so much a memory as it was an impression, a warm glow and a smile, but still to hear his mother say that it was impossible for him to remember is must hurt.

The fact that Percy dropped the topic immediately afterward was prove enough.

"Are you going to sent us away again?"

Percy bit his lip and Leo looked away from the sea to Sally as well.

"To another boarding school?"

Sally pulled a marshmallow from the fire.

"I don't know honey."

Her voice was heavy.

"I think..."  
She heaved a sigh.

"I think we will have to do something."

The fact that his father had never known him must have shaken Percy a lot more then he had let on, because his next words were biting.

"Because you don't want me..."

Percy broke up and gestured to Leo.

"Because you don't want us around?"

Sallys eyes widened in shock and tears welt up in her eyes. Leo could see Percy flinch and he felt bad as well. Sally had always treated him well, but he simply did not understand why she insisted on sending them to boarding schools.

A warm hand gripping his own ripped him from his thoughts. Sally was looking at him her eyes pleading as her gaze wandered from Leo to Percy and back again, something akin to desperation on her face.

"Oh, no. No."

She shook her hand frantically.

"No. I- I have to. For your own good."

Percys gaze shuttered close and Leo grimaced. The meaning behind Sallys words was completely different, but she had sounded a lot like Mr Brunner had at the end of term.

"Because I'm not normal."

Percys voice was flat but Sally was not as obvious as Mr Brunner had been to how badly her son had interpreted her words. She looked at Leo for a second and he gave her a little smile which she returned before letting go of his hand and fixing her attention solely on Percy.

"You say that like it is a bad thing, Percy. But you don't realize how important you are."

Leo agreed that Percy was important. Without him Leo would not have a family, he would still be at the mercies of the foster care system and he would not have a friend.

It was a little strange to see his best friend so insecure as Percy preferred to hide such things most of the time. At first Leo had been fooled by it but with time he had learned to look past the mask Percy put up, still he had not realized how badly his friend had been affected by the previous weeks.

"I thought Yancy Academy would be far enough away."

That was a curious statement and made no sense at all.

"I thought you'd finally be safe."

Percy asked the question that hung in both of their heads.

"Safe from what?"

As soon as the question was voiced however things were violently shoved into perspective.

Leo met Percys searching gaze. He could clearly see the question his friend was thinking about. Should they tell sally what had happened with Mrs Dodds and the knitting ladies?

Sally wanted them safe and what had happened to them in school obviously wasn't safe.

Leo knew that Percy had had other strange happenings in his life, and he had been witness to some of them, but they had always been explainable. The Mrs Dodds thing wasn't, at least not with any kind of logic, that would be accepted in court.

In the end it was Percy who came to a decision. The look on his face was vaguely guilty when he shook his head slightly and Leo nodded imperceptibly in return. They would let the matter rest for now. After all it was highly unlikely that anything would happen on this beach. Sally and Percy had been there countless times and they had never been in any danger.

Sally had not noticed the byplay between her two boys, to caught up with trying to figure out what to tell.

"I've tried to keep you as close as I could."

Sally continued and smiled a Leo who was feeling a little awkward with the topic.

"Both of you."

Then her gaze hardened.

"They told me that was a mistake."

Leos brow furrowed as he listened. Why would someone tell a mother that is was a mistake to keep her son and foster son close to her. They might be trouble, but mistake was a bit over the top. Sally was still talking, but Leo could not make head or tail out of it.

"But there is one other option, Percy – the place your father wanted to send you."

Percy blinked.

"My father wanted me to go to a special school?"

Percy sounded incredulous and Leo could understand his friend only to well. From what Sally had said Percys dad had never met his son, so how would he know that Percy might have to go to a special school?

"Not a school Percy."

Sallys voice was soft.

"A summer camp."

Percys was quite obviously busting with questions but it seemed like Sally was not willing to answer anymore.

"I'm sorry, Percy." Sallys voice was almost pleading as she looked into her sons eyes.

"But I can't talk about it. I – I couldn't sent you to that place."

She hesitated for a moment but her eyes never left Percys, when she continued talking her voice broke slightly.

"It might mean saying good-bye to you for good."

That sounded very strange to Leo, but he forced himself not to speak up. He was already feeling like he was intruding and he would probably only make matters worse.

Percy had the same question however.

"For good? But if it's only a summer camp..."

Percy trailed off and Leo watched as Sally turned towards the fire without answering the question and from her expression he was pretty sure that she would start to cry would Percy continue with his questioning. Luckily his best friend had noticed it as well and decided to stop.

Leo felt like he should leave. It was a very private moment and his presence probably only made matters worse for Sally right now, but before he could do anything Sally snarled her arm around his shoulder and pulled him against her side while doing the same thing with Percy on her other side.

They sat like that for a long time, enjoying simply being together, the camp was not brought up again and when Leo was just about to fall asleep, Sally sent them to bed.

–

Leo was ripped from his sleep by a sudden bright flash of light. He needed a moment to reorient himself.

He was still in the cabin n the beach, but the pleasant atmosphere from the previous day was gone. Instead a terribly storm seemed to be waging outside and lightning making the night seem like day in short flashes.

Percy to was already awake, breathing heavily as if he had run a long way.

"Percy?"

His friends eyes snapped over to him and Leo raised his eyebrows in question. Percy shook his head.

"Just a dream..."

Percy trailed off looking out of the window and a frown found itself on his face.

"A dream?"

Percy turned back to him and nodded.

"Yeah... but it was strange."

Leo sat up in his bed and pulled the blanked up to cover his shoulders. It had gotten colder as well.

"Strange howß"

Percys frown was still prominent on his face.

"I was dreaming about a storm like this and the beach..."

Again his gaze wandered to the window.

"And a horse and an eagle... fighting."

Leo blinked.

"A horse and an eagle?"

The lightning lit up the night long enough for Leo to see the grin on his best friends face quite clearly.

"Yep-"

"Huh."

Then a really loud thunder shook the cabin and Sally jerked awake. She said up immediately, her eyes wide.

"Hurricane."

She sounded understandably fearful, but it was strange. Long Island had never seen hurricanes this early in the summer. something that the ocean seemed to have forgotten. The wind was roaring and Leo could swear that he could hear a distant bellow, it was an angry tortured sound and he pulled the blanket closer around himself, before looking around the cabin furtively.

Percy looked uncomfortable as well and just as Leo was about to ask if he had heard the bellow as well another sound drew their attention.

This one was much closer, it sounded like mallets in the sand accompanied by a desperate voice, someone was yelling and then there was pounding on their cabin door.

Sally jumped out of the bed and Leo followed her, the blanked close around him. The voice had sounded familiar and as soon as sally had opened the door he knew why.

It was Grover. He was standing in the doorway dripping wet and with a desperate look in his eyes.

"Searching all night."

He was out of breath as well.

"What were you thinking?"

His gaze landed on Leo accusingly before wandering to Percy, but neither of them got to answer.

"Leo."

Sally gaze from where she was standing next to him felt heavy on him and the terror on her face only made it worse.

"What happened at school?"

She sounded panicked and Leo wanted to answer her, but somehow no words came past his lips.

Noticing that she would not get an answer from him she squeezed his shoulder, trying to reassure him despite her own panic and turned to Percy.

She had to scream to make herself understood over the rain.

"Percy what happened at school? What didn't you tell me?"

But Percy didn't answer either, he was staring at Grover completely shocked by something that Leo had probably missed in his shock at seeing their friend in the middle of the night.

Leo was just about to try to make sense of it when Grover spoke again.

"O Zeu kai alloi theoi!"

He looked panicked as well.

"It's right behind me! Didn't you tell her?"

He would probably have asked Grover what he was talking about, because if he was referring to the monster their math teacher had been, then he should be able to figure out why they had kept it quite without trouble when something else registered in his mind: his friend had not only cursed in ancient Greek, he had also managed to understand him perfectly, the look on Percys face was comical, so he was probably not the only one.

They were brought back to attention however when sally called them, her voice surprisingly sharp.

Sallys gaze wandered from one of them to the other, her face stern and when she spoke, the tone was like nothing Leo had ever heard her use before and judging by his friends flinching neither had he.  
"Tell me now."

Leos tongue felt like lead in his mouth and he was sure that if he had been the one to make the explanation it would have been very hard to understand. Percy wasn't doing much better as he stammered out a string of words about Mrs Dodds, the fruits stand ladies that did not make much sense.

Lightning was still flashing across the sky and Sallys deathly pale face stood out prominently, somehow she seemed to make sense of Percys ramblings.

She grabbed her purse and tossed them their rain jackets.

"Get to the car. All of you."

Percy and Leo shared a glance hesitating for a moment before Sally barked her next words like a drill Sargent giving an order.

"Go!"

They scrambled out of the cabin after Grover who had been the first o reacted and suddenly Grovers strange running style made sense. It didn't really look like a muscular disorder though.

Because he wasn't running really, it was more like trotting or galloping like a horse, he even had the shaggy hindquarters of a barn animal, hooves and all.

In his shock Leo actually stopped and stared at Grover. Percy seemed to have taken the news better as he was the one grabbing Leos arm and hauling him along towards the direction of the car.

–

The car almost seemed to fly and given the speed they were going at and the wind it would not surprise Leo too much. Wind was slamming against the car, rain was lashing against the windshield and he had no idea how Sally was seeing where they were going, but she had to see something, because the idea of going blind was scary.

Almost as scary as the realization that one of their best friends was - and smelled like – a barnyard animal. Leo could not help it, he kept glancing back towards the backseat where Percy and Grover were sitting the latter half goat from the waist down.

It was Percy who broke the heavy silence that had been reigning since Sally had started the car.

"So... You and my mum..."

He was addressing Grover.

"You know each other?"

If it was anyone else but Sally they were talking about Leo might have made a stupid comment, as it was he decided to keep his mouth shut.

Grover was looking around as if searching for something and he did not stop when he answered.

"Not exactly."

He frowned.

"I mean, we've never met in person. But she knew I was watching you."

It sounded kind of creepy that way, but Leo remembered their conversation on the bus: That Grover was supposed to protect them.

"Watching me?"

Grover nodded.

"Well, both of you really."

He hesitated for a moment.

"Keeping tabs on you. Making sure you were okay, but I wasn't faking being your friend."

The last part had been added hastily, but Leo was pretty sure that Grover was being honest.  
"I am your friend."

Percy nodded before he asked the question that Leo had been itching to ask since he had nearly stopped dead on the beach.

"Um... What are you, exactly?"

Grover waved him off.

"That doesn't matter right now.

Leo did not agree with that statement and neither did Percy.

"It doesn't matter?"

Percys disbelieve knew no boundaries.

"From the waist down one of my friends is a donkey."

Grover let our a sharp throaty "Blaa-ha-ha!"

They had heard him make that sound before, but had always assumed it to be a nervous laugh. Now it was quite clear that it was more of an irritated bleat.

Leo blinked.

"I though he was a goat..."

Govers bleat fades away and he gave Leo a slight smile.  
"Yes, a goat don't forget it."

Percy raised his eyebrow his voice as dry as the desert.

"I thought it didn't matter?"

Grover carried on as if Percy hadn't spoken.

"Be careful, there are Satyrs who would trample you underhoof for such an insult."

Leos brain had combusted somewhere around Satyrs, but luckily Percy was there to carry on.

"Woah. Wait. Satyrs."

He paused for a second.

"You mean like in Mr Brunners myths?"

Leo had never heard the word anywhere but in relation with ancient myth but it seemed that Grover did not agree with their disbelieve – given the fact that Grover apparently was part of said myths it was kind understandable.

Were those old ladies at the fruit stand a myth, Percy?"

Leo shock his head, myth or not they had been there and Grover carried on.

"Was Mrs Dodds a myth?"

"So you admit that there was a Mrs Dodds!"

Percy sounded triumphant and Grover nodded.

"Of course."

Leo frowned.

"Then why-"

But he got cut off before he could ask the question.

"The less you knew, the fewer monsters you attract."

Grover said it like it should be perfectly obvious. Leo begged to disagree.

"We put Mist over the human's eyes."

He glanced at Leo then as if to say that they had expected him to be affected as well.

"We hoped you'd think the Kindly One was a hallucination. But it was no good."

Again he looked at Leo, as if blaming him for it. Not that he was entirely wrong about that, Percy would have doubted his memory at lot more if there hadn't been someone else telling him that there had been a Mrs Dodds.

"You started to realize who you are."

On the last part Grovers voice had turned very grave.

Percy frowned, so did Leo.

"Why I – wait a minute, what do you mean?"

This time Leo could not help himself.

"It obvious, isn't it?"

Percys gaze fell on him and Leo grinned.

"You are Aquaman."

Sally snorted and Percy shook his head before turning to Grover again, quite clearly waiting for a proper answer.

It never got that far though. The weird bellowing noise rose up again, somewhere behind them, closer then it had been before. Whatever it was, it was chasing them still. The heavy atmosphere that had been lifted by Leo comment was back even heavier then before. Again sally proved that she was more then up to breaking all kinds of silence, still her voice was tense when she spoke.

"Percy. There is too much to explain and not enough time. We have to get you to safety."

For a second her eyes flickered away from the street and she met Leos eyes.

"And you as well."

Her voice had a sad quality to it.

Percy however would not stop asking question, Leo felt for him, but he wasn't sure if he could speak up if he tried. He knew they were in danger only once in his life had he been in this much danger before, and it had not been the day the man had chased him and destroyed his foster home.

"Safely from what? Who's after us?"

Grover made a strange noise.

"After you."

Percy blinked and Grover carried on while Leo kept watching Sally on whose face was an iron mask of determination.

"But who is after.. me? And why?"

Grover was silent for a moment, when he spoke again Leo was pretty sure he could make a out an undertone of hysteria.

"Oh nobody much. Just the Lord of the Dead and a few of his blood-thirstiest minions."

Sally jerked and for a moment Leo was sure she would hit the breaks and sent them careening around the road. Fortunately she didn't. She snapped at Grover however.

"Grover!"

Grover winced and did seem truly apologetic.

"Sorry, Mrs. Jackson."

He paused for a moment and looked back over his shoulder.

"Could you drive faster please?"

Sally made a sharp left turn and they swerved onto a narrower road, racing past darkened farmhouses and wooded hills. Leo noted that there were several PICK YOUR OWN STRAWBERRIES signs on the while picket fences. Or at least he was pretty sure that was they were supposed to say if the images were any indication.

"Where are we going Sally?"

Because they were going somewhere. The way Sally was driving was calculated, she was not just driving for the sake of getting away from whatever was chasing them. She had a goal, Leo only hoped they wold reach it soon.

"The summer camp I told you about yesterday."

Leo blinked.

"The one Percys dad wanted him to go to?"

From the silence in the backseat Leo was sure that at least Percy was listening.

Sally nodded and again chanced a sideways glance at him. This time he was sure that there was something sad in her gaze.

"I'm sure your father wanted you to go there as well."

Questions where whirling in his head and he had no idea what to ask first. His father? If he hadn't been aware of the fact that everyone needed a father, he would have assumed that he did not have one. His mother had rarely talked about any man in her life, she had said that Leo would meet his dad one day, but when she had died and no father had appeared Leo had simply concluded that his dad was dead as well. To be fair it wasn't like Leo had asked questions either. It had simply never mattered to him.

And maybe that was why it was so very strange for him to hear that his father had wanted something, it was even stranger, that Sally knew about it.

He was pretty sure Percys mom had never met his dad, otherwise she would have mentioned it, wouldn't she?

In favor of making more sense of the situation and figuring out what was going on Percy had apparently decided to push the part about Leos father aside. It seemed like a smart choice, but it was simply stuck in Leos head.

"The place you didn't want me."

Percys paused and reconsidered, when he continued talking his tone was very deliberate.

"The place you didn't want us to go."

Sally made a sound of frustration, mixed with desperation.

"Please, dear."

Now she was begging him.

"This is hard enough. Try to understand. You're in danger."

Leo was pretty sure that his best friend was aware of that as well, if nothing else the attack of their math teacher would have driven the point home. But that did not lessen the frustration at all. They had been thrown into a situation that made no sense at all and apparently their fathers had something to do with it, because otherwise there was no need to drive to this camp now, instead of the fact that it would endanger even more people, most likely children.

"Because the old ladies cut the yarn?"

A brief spark of admiration whirled up inside of Leo as his friend brought up those creepy grannies again. He wasn't sure if he ad been able to talk about them, especially if he had been the one they had payed special attention to.

It was Grover who responded, shaking his head.

"Those weren't old ladies Those were the fates."

Leo remembered that story and suddenly he felt violently sick, that could not be true.

"Do you know what it means- the fact that they appeared in front of you?"

Grover was obviously distressed as well and with every word the satyr said Leo was feeling worse.

"They only do that when you're about to..."

He hesitated only for a moment.

"They only do that when someone's about to die."

Percy had noted the pause as well, his eyes went wide and Leo could see the moment he made the connection in his best friends eyes as they flickered from him to Grover.

"Whoa. You said 'you'."

Grover shook his head frantically.

"No I didn't. I said 'someone'."

Percy persisted however.

"You meant 'you'. As in _me_."

It was then that Leo decided to speak up as well.

"YOU."

He pointed at Percy.

"Are not going to die. I won't let you."

It was a ridiculous statement to make. He had no idea what he was going to be facing, but it would be dangerous possibly lethal for him as well. Still he meant what he had said.

Percys gaze met his and Percy gave him a shaky smile. He had been freaking out as well, that was why he had asked all hose questions that had made it worse for anyone who was listening.

"Leo is right."

Grover was nodding.

"And I meant you, like 'someone'. Not _you_ , you."

Percy cracked a smile, but they were violently ripped from their moment when Sally swerved sharply to avoid something – dark fluttering shape – that got quickly lost somewhere behind them.

"What was that?"

His best friends voice sounded strange and he got no answer. Grover was staring out of the back window and Sally was preoccupied with driving.

"We're almost there."

She sounded close to tears.

"Another mile. Please. Please. Please."

Leo mentally added his own please to the plea. He had no idea what was after them, but he knew enough to know that he did not want to get captured by it.

Pleading was a perfectly fine method he was not above applying if only it would help. It didn't even matter that they still had no idea where there was, since Sally had never told them where this mysterious camp was supposed to be.

There was nothing around them, unless of course the camp lay admit the strawberry farms that seemed to be just about everywhere around here.

From the corner of his eye Leo noticed that Percy had opened his mouth again, a questioning look in his eyes, but whatever that question had been, he never got to ask it.

Suddenly there was a blinding flash, a jaw rattling _boom!_ , and then the car exploded.

For a moment it Leo felt like he was absolutely weightless, but the gravity caught up with him and he was jerked forward. Leo had no idea how he had manage to get his hands and arms in front of his face, but it was a very good thing.

When he slammed against the console of the car they took most of the impact and while it hurt like hell.

Never before had Leo been so glad to have been wearing a seat belt. He wasn't sure what would have happened to him had he not been wearing it and he wasn't all that keen on finding out either.

A hand landed on his shoulder and Leo turned sideways to give Sally a shaky smile before a soft 'Ow' from the backseat ripped his attention away.

Both of them turned around immediately and where greeted with the sight of Percy shaking his head slightly. It seemed that the seat belt had not made that much difference in his friends case either.

"Percy?"

Percy to gave a slight smile at Sallys worried inquiry.

"I'm okay..."

Leo took that as the prompt to look around.

It seemed like they had swerved into a ditch. Which was a good thing, crashes against tress were nasty since cars had the tendency to curl around the trunks if they hit them with enough speed.

He also noted that the car had not really exploded, which was strange since he had been so sure that the lightning had hit them.

Not that the car was in a good condition. The drivers side doors were wedged in the mud. The roof had been cracked open like an eggshell and rain was pouring in.

Still they were alive, which meant that the lightning could not have hit them, they had probably been missed by a very small margin and then blasted off the road.

It was Percys worried exclamation that drew his attention away from the wreckage that was the car.

"Grover!"

Leo whirled around, on the backseat next to Grover was a big lump that lay unmoving. A lump that just happened to be their friend.

Percy shook him none to gently and Leo breathed a sight of relieve when he heard the weak voice.

"Food."

Had it been anything else, Leo might have been ever more worried, but now he was sure that Grover could not have been to badly hurt.

But really, Food, of all things.

"Boys."

Sally called them.

"We have to..."

Lightning fluttered across the sky and sally voice faltered.

If she had seen what Leo had seen that was no surprise.

From the road there was a figure lumbering towards them. The sight made ones skin crawl. It was a dark silhouette of a huge guy, bigger then the biggest football player in pads Leo had ever seen. Who, or given recent happenings, whatever it was seemed to be holding a blanked over his head.. His top half was bulky and fuzzy. His upraised hands made it look like he had horns.

Where the situation any different Leo would have tried to figure out how exactly to do that, it sounded useful for all kinds of pranks. But as he was in the current situation that had to wait.

"Percy. Leo."

Sallys voice was deadly serious and underlying with a desperate sort of urgency that gave no room for arguments.

"Get out of the car. Now."

Leo made to follow the order, but it seemed like the crash had jammed to seat belt somehow, it would not open.

Suddenly he wasn't all that fond of the seat belt anymore.

"Who is-"

But Sally cut off her sons question.

"Just get out of the car."

Even as she said that she had thrown herself against the drivers sides door, but it was jammed shut in the mud. In the backseat tried as well with just as much success.

Leo breathed a sigh of relieve when his seat belt finally came loose and he could move. Unlike the other doors the door on the passengers side swung open without trouble and he scrambled out into the night.

Rain drenched his shirt but he paid no attention to it as he wrenched open the back door and grabbed Grovers shoulders to pull him out. Percy climbed over the seat to help him while Sally too had exited the car.

"Boys-"

She cut herself up.

"You have to run. Do you see that big tree?"

Leo looked into the direction she was pointing and as another flash of lightning lit up the nightsky. The tree she was pointing at was pretty hard to miss: It was a gigantic pine tree at the crest of the nearest hill.

Seeing as they had figured out what she was talking about Sally continued.

"That's the property line. Get over the hill and you'll see a big farmhouse down in the valley."

Leo nodded to show that he understood and Sally laid one of her hands on his and Percy shoulders.

"Run and don't look back."

His eyes widened. Because surely she could not mean that.

"Yell for help."

But she did."

"Don't stop until you reach the door."

Her voice still had that commanding tone and if she had been asking him anything else, Leo would probably already be in the midst of following her instructions.

"Mom, you're coming too."

That was something Leo could agree with: there was no way they were leaving her behind. Sally looked at Percy and her eyes were as sad as when she looked at the ocean. Leo knew what she was thinking and so did Percy, because Sally was not agreeing with them.

"No!"

Percy was shouting now and it was impressive how easy to hear his voice was despite the wind and rain.

"You are coming with us. Help us carry Grover."

Said Satyr was hanging limply between them, his arms thrown over the other boys shoulders and as if he knew that they were talking about him he moaned a little. To Leos ears it sounded suspiciously like 'food'.

The man with the blanked on his head kept coming towards then, making strange grunting, snorting noises. As he got closer Leo noticed something strange that somehow surprised him even with the recent happenings. The man, if he even was one, could not be holding the blanket over his head, unless he had two pairs of arms, because his hands, and those were huge, meaty hands, were swinging at his sides.

Lightning flashed again and now Leo was sure, that the man did not carry a blanket, because the bulky, fuzzy mass that was too big to be a head, was exactly where the head should be and the points that looked like horns... were just that.

"Percy."

Sallys hands left Leos shoulders and she bend forwards slightly to meet her sons eyes.

"He does not want us. He wants you."

She glanced at Leo.

"And maybe Leo too. Besides, I can't cross the property line."

Which was ridiculous of course. Leo was sure that whoever owned the land would not be offended should they explain the situation to them. Their car had crashed after all and an reasonable human would allow them to call the police and get help.

"But-"

Sally sent him a sharp look, obviously not happy that they would not simply let it go.

"We don't have time, boys. Go. Please."

For a short moment the only sound heard was the rumble of thunder and the rain rushing down on them and drenching them, then Percy spoke up again and when he responded he was using the same tone sally had used before. His voice rang with a command and there was no denying him.

"We are going together. Come one mom."

Sally however wasn't giving up.

"I told you-"

The way Percy and Sally took charge of a situation was scarily alike and Leo wasn't sure who would win this. He hoped that Percy however.

"And I told you, that I'm not leaving you."

Sally stared at her son with big eyes, but he simply gestured towards the still unconscious boy.  
"Now help us with Grover."

He didn't wait for an answer, but it was not like he had to. Sallys shoulder were hunched slightly,as she crouched and picked up Grovers legs. Grover was surprisingly light but that did not make that much of a difference. The hill was overgrown with wet waist-high grass, and it was slippy as hell, especially since they were attempting to go uphill.

Leo kept slipping again and again, be it on the muddy ground or the grass that he had to trample on. They were going very slowly.

Next to him Percy breathed in sharply. His eyes were fixed on something behind them and wide with what seemed like a mix of surprise and fear, causing Leo to follow his gaze.

He immediately wished he hadn't.

The monster, because there was no way, Leo was going to call them thing after them a man was huge. He was easily seven feet tall, and his arms and legs seemed like they could come from the cover of the Muscle Man magazine – bulging biceps and triceps and all the other 'ceps as well. He worse no clothes except for a pair of ,what Leo was pretty sure was, underwear.

And any other situation and on a human that might have looked funny, on this thing it just looked grotesque especially together with the upper part of is body. Coarse brown hair started at about his belly button and got thicker as it reached his shoulders.

His neck. If it could still be called that, was a mass of muscle and fur – because that's what it was going to be called now, that much hair would just be eww – leading up to his enormous head, which had a snout as long as Leos arm, snotty nostrils with a gleaming brass ring, cruel beady black eyes and horns, enormous black-and-white horns that looked very, very sharp.

Leo had a vague idea what that monster was, even if his mind told him that it could not be real. He told it to shut up because, frankly, he could set things on fire so he had no room to talk.

Percy apparently knew who their guest was as well.

"That's-"

Sally finished the sentence for him.

"Pasiphae's son."

She huffed a laugh that held no humor at all.

"I wished I had known how badly they wanted to kill you."

Percys gaze snapped away from the monster behind them and back to his mother who was still holding onto Grovers legs.

"But he is the Min-"

"Don't say his name."

Sallys voice was quite, but with a hint of waring underlying it.

"Names have power."

Names have power. It sounded like something that should only be said in a fantasy novel or movie. Yet here Sally was meaning every word of it. Not that Leo could blame her, because the thing behind them belonged into movies and stories as well – especially in the old Greek ones of heroes, gods and monsters.

Leos eyes remained fixed on their goal, but he Pine tree did not seem to get any closer. From the corner of his eye he noticed that Percy glanced back again just as Grover moaned again.

"Shhhh."

The Satyr thankfully fell quite, but Leo rather spitefully thought that Grover could at least be totally out of it if he wasn't even helping them up the hill.

"Mom what is he doing? Doesn't he see us?"

He so admired his best friend for being able to walk on this ground while looking back. When Leo had tried it he had nearly made all of them land in the mud.

Sally shook her head but she did not look back.

"His sight and hearing are terrible. He goes by smell."

Considering the guys snout that made sense and suddenly the rain wasn't all that bad. If Leo remembered correctly it helped cover up smells.

"But he'll figure out where we are soon enough."

Sadly she was right. As if on cue, the bill-man bellowed in rage. He picked up Gabes car by the torn roof, the chassis creaking and groaning, before raising it over his head.

It was unreal to see a car being thrown, but that's what the monster did: he threw it down the road. It slammed into the wet asphalt and skidded in a shower of sparks for about half a mile before coming to a stop. The gas tank exploded.

It was beautiful, but did not quite match up to what had happened to the Camaro.

Percy seemed to agree.

"Seven."

Leo nodded in agreement. Seven out of ten sounded about right, it could have gone higher but this time the explosion had not been accompanied by Gabes tears so it really was no competition.

Sally did not share their momentary amusement however, she stayed on task, given their situation that was probably a good thing.

"When he sees us, he'll charge. Wait until the last second, then jump out of the way- directly sideways. He can't change directions very well once he's charging."

It sounded logical, but hearing those words come from Sally was very strange, usually she had asked them those kind of questions in their Greek quizzes but Leo would have never thought that they would ever apply it in a real life situation.

He would like to go back to those quizzes.

"Do you understand?"

Leo nodded and watched as Sallys eyes flickered back to the Minotaurus for a second.

"I've been worried about an attack for a long time. I should have expected this. I was selfish keeping you near me."  
She sounded like she was beating herself up about it pretty badly, even if Leo could not see why. Okay maybe she had known that strange monsters would come after them for some reason, but she loved her son and he had never had to doubt it.

"Keeping me near you?"

Percy snorted.

"Yeah mum, that's the worst thing a mother can do."

To brilliant mind and one thought. There were reasons he and Percy were best friends.

Another bellow of rage. Percy looked backwards and cursed before picking up speed. Apparently the bull-man had smelled them.

By then the pine tree was only a couple of yards away. But the hill seemed to have gotten even steeper and slicker, Leo joined Percy in cursing under his breath, for once Sally did not abolish them.

The bull-man was already close enough to them that they could feel the vibrations of his heavy footsteps through the ground. Another few seconds and he would be on top of them. Leos mind decided to tell him that it would be great if this was lord of the rings style and the tree on top of the hill was an Ent that would bat the bull away from them, but his lungs were burning from exhaustion and he could no longer laugh hysterically.

If Sally was exhausted as well, she didn't show it, instead she dropped Grovers legs and took him from Leo and Percy hefting him over her shoulder.

"Go. We have to separate. Remember what I told you."

Leo glanced sideways at his best friend, as he had expected Percy did not look all that happy with his mother instructions but could not argue them.

All four of them on the same spot made to I a target, there was no way they would all be ale to dodge a charge at the same time. Percy caught his glance and nodded, determination etched into his features.

For a moment Leo wasn't sure why, but then he remembered.

Sally had told them, that the Minotaur was not after her, but after Percy and maybe after Leo himself.

That meant, that by splitting up the two of them would become the targets.

Leo nodded back.

Percy moved away to towards the left, Sally towards their right side and Leo spent a moment wondering where he should go, before his mind kicked into overdrive as he realized he was directly before the charging monster.

He threw himself on the ground, out of the monsters reach, and rolled sideways in the dirt. The only thing that hit him was the smell: Rotting meat.

Slipping in the mud Leo went further down the hill than he had intended, but as it took him away from the monster he would not complain. The monster however did.

Another bellow of rage rang through the air and the Minotaur looked around furtively, searching the prey that had escaped him. Leo held very still as the lack beady eyes raked over him, hoping that he would not be spotted.

He was in luck.

The monster puffed in agitation and took a deep sniff, trying to track him by scent, to no use. It seemed that while the rain had not hid their tracks, the mud at least hid Leo scent to a point at least that's what Leo thought before the monster roared again. This time in triumph.

Leo jerked to his feat and the beady eyes snapped to him, the expected charge however did not come, instead the monster turned toward Percy, who was watching the spectacle from somewhere to the left.

Percy must have smelled a whole lot better then him, Leo had time to muse, before the Minotaur charged.

Leo scrambled up the mountain to the tree Sally had pointed out to them, his gaze was drawn towards his best friend who was closer to his goal and the target of the monster now, meaning he was not paying too much attention to where he was stepping, causing his progress to be slow at best.

Percy had managed to dodge the initial charge as well and again the Minotaur roared in frustration, before turning again, choosing his next target.

This time it was Sally.

Sally who was setting down Grover into the grass.

Percys mom seemed to have noticed the sudden attention of the monster as well. Confusion flashed across her face for a second, then it was gone, replaced by iron determination.

The bull man grunted, pawning the ground. He kept eying Sally, was was now trying to slowly to retreat downhill, back towards the road ad from Grover.

Her gaze found her sons.

"Run Percy."

She looked around for a moment before finding Leos gaze as well.

"I can't go further, take care of each other."

It sounded a lots like she was saying goodbye, a very final goodbye.

Leo wanted to tell her that she should just run towards the tree as she had told them too, but before he could open his mouth, the Minotaur roared.

Then came the charge.

Sally did just as she had instructed them to do, Leo noted, as he ran up the hill, half falling over himself in his haste. It seemed however that the Monster had understood what their tactic had been: When Sally dodged sideways, its arm shot out fast like a striking snake and its hand caught Sally by the neck. It hoisted her into the air as if she weight nothing, as if her struggling and kicking did not matter to it. It probably didn't.

"Mom!"

At Percys distressed shout Sallys head turned into his direction, a look of heartbreaking determination on her face she choked out one word.

"Go!"

With an angry roar the Minotaur closed his first around Sallys neck.

To Leo it seemed like slow motion. He could see the muscles and the gigantic hands contacting closing around the neck of the woman who had given him a home.

Sally dissolved into light, a shimmering golden form, as if she were a holographic projection.

Then there was a blinding flash and when it was gone, so was Sally.

Leos brain stuttered to a halt like dieing machine, because what he was seeing could not be true: Sally could not be gone. She could not be dead.

Shock had made him stop in his tracks, still on the slope of the hill, looking up at the Minotaur further up.

The Minotaur turned and Leos brain kickstarted right into overdrive as it turned its attention to Grover who was still lying unconsciousness on the ground.

It had taken Sally, but Leo would not let it have Grover as well.

"Hey! Mr Tighty-whitey!"

Percy seemed to share his sentiment, because at the same time he was insulting the monster as well.

"Hey, stupid! Ground beef!"

The fact that they had shouted at the same time seemed to confuse the monster since their voices came from different directions. What decided it in the end, was the red rain jacket that Percy was waving around in the air like a maniac.

The monster turned on Percy again, bellowing in rage and charging up the hill, leaving Grovers prone for on the ground. Leos feet made to follow before he even thought of it as he watched the monster attack his best friend.

He knew, that Percy had most likely planned to dodge aside, but near blind as the Minotaur might be it was not to stupid to learn from it's mistakes. When it charged Percy it did so fast, and with both hands outstretched at its sides making dodging sideways impossible.

Leo was close enough to see his friends face at the moment he realized this as well.

He could see Percys eyes widen, but there was no sign of surrender on his face, instead Percys simply moved.

The scene could have come straight from an action movie.

Percy jumped straight up, kicking himself even higher from the creatures head before turning in midair landing on the thick neck and gripping the horns to steady himself.

There was a moment of stillness but when the Minotaur realized where Percy was, it began to shake it's head wildly, bucking around to shake of it's unwanted passenger.

Leo was glad that the monster did not think to squash his back – and with it Percy – against the tree behind him. It might learn from it's mistakes, but it clearly wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.

Then Grover moaned again, it if he had not done so louder then before or in any other situation Leo might have laughed as his friends one track mind.

"Food."

In the situation they were in however it wasn't funny in the slightest. The beast whirled around, nearly throwing Percy of its back, and focused on Grover.

Leo cursed and rand over to his friend hoping to pull him out of the way somehow, but he knew, that he would not make it in time should the Minotaur chose to charge again.

Percy as it turned out however wasn't out of tricks yet. As Leo watched his friend leaned backwards, both hands wrapped around on of the monsters horns and pulled.

Had Leo not known Percy and his tendencies for doing the impossible for years he probably would not have trusted his eyes and ears, when a resounding snap was heard as the horn broke off.

The Minotaur roared in ,what Leo assumed to be, pain and with one violent movement threw Percy off his back.

The boy landed hard on the ground seemingly dazed by the impact and in no position to evade the already charging monster.

Just like Percy had done only moments before, Leo did not think, he acted.

Fire crawled along his arm and gathered in his hand, without any conscious thought Leo threw it like a ball.

The flame raced through the air, seemingly unhindered by the lightning and rain still raging wildly. It hit the Minotaur straight between the shoulder blades throwing it slightly of course.

It stood there in a daze for a moment, but then it shook his head and fixed his eyes on the one who had broken of his horn again.

The fireball did not do much damage, but fortunately it distracted the monster enough for Percy to collect his bearings and get back on his feet, the horn in his hands.

Percy had been standing unsteadily, but when he evaded the monsters charge, his movements were smooth. He rolled to the side, came up kneeling and drove the broken horn straight into the monsters side.

The bull-man roared in agony. He flailed clawing at his chest, then he began to disintegrate – not like Sally in a flash of golden light, but like the man that had chased Leo through the city some years ago, like crumbling sand, blown away by the wind.

The monster was gone.

The rain had stopped even if Leo could still hear the storm rumbling in the distance.

Leo reached his best friend just as the other boys knees gave out. Percy was shaking and when he saw him stop in front of him, he bit back a chocked sob. Leo knelled down next to him, not caring about the mud and pulled him into a tight hug.

Only then did he realize that he was shaking as well. That, and he was also suddenly feeling very tired as the adrenaline left him.

It was Percy who broke the embrace, his voice cracking as he spoke.

"Get Grover, we have to..."

He trailed off, but his gaze was fixed on the pine tree close to them. Leo remembered Sally telling them what to do and forced himself on his feet.

Unlike when they had first gotten Grover out if the car, his friend felt very heavy this time. Leo did not know if it was because the satyr was drenched with rain now, or if it was another sort heaviness that actually had nothing to do with his friends.

Still he forced the satyr up and slung Grovers arm over his shoulder, before making his way back to Percy who had wobbled over to them rather unsteadily, and Leo noted with some concern that blood was sluggishly running down the side of his friends face.

"Put your arm around my shoulder."

Percy simply looked at him as if he wasn't comprehending his words.

"You must have gotten a concussion or something. I'll steady you."

This time Percy understood, and did as Leo had told him to.

Frankly, Leo had no idea how they had managed to make their way over the top of the hill, past the tree, down into the valley and to the big farmhouse, but he did reach the front porch somehow.

Leo stood there, caked with mud and drenched from the rain, Grovers arm slung over his left shoulder and Percy, who seemed to have lost his sense of direction, supporting himself on his right side.

He did not have to knock though. He did not even have to call for help, because it seemed like they had been expected. A small group of people were standing in the entrance room: a tall blond guy who looked faintly unsettled, a blond haired girl around his age, who was watching him shrewdly from stormy gray eyes and his Latin teacher.

It was surreal.

Grover groaned and Leo felt as if he was in some kind of daze as the blond haired guy came forward to take the satyr from him.

Blue eyes swept over him and Percy with quite concern before the blond guy spoke up.  
"We should get them to the infirmary."

Mr Brunner nodded in agreement.

"Can you take Grover, Luke?"

The blond guy, Luke, nodded and hoisted Grover up in a fireman's carry but the girl seemed to have other priorities.

"Which one is it Chiron?"

Vaguely Leo realized that he had heard that name somewhere before, but right now he could not bring himself to care, as he watched Luke carry Grover towards a door on the right.

She did not get an answer as Mr Brunner hushed her.

"Not now Annabeth."

There was an underlying meaning to those words, but it went right over Leos head, as Percy seemed to have finally lost his fight and succumbed to unconsciousness.

He went boneless and fell forward, his arm nearly slipping from Leos shoulder before Leo managed to steady him and lay him on the ground, unable to hold his weight.

Annabeth seemed to have decided to stop asking questions and help instead, since she stopped forward and crouched down next to Leo giving him a slight smile.

"Don't worry he will be fine."

It was a relieve to hear that, even if Leo had no idea how she could be so sure of that, since she did not look even remotely old enough to be a doctor. Still Leo chose to believe her, at least partially.

There was no way his best friend was going to be fine.

Not with Sally gone.

At that though his throat closed up and he could feel the tear pooling in his eyes. Next to him Annabeth shifted uncomfortably, but Mr Brunner seemed unperturbed.

"It seems like you made it."

Made it. The man made it sound like they had been waiting for them. As if they had truly been expecting them. And they possibly had, but they had not helped them.

And now Sally was gone.

Leo stared at Mr Brunner and at that moment he wanted nothing more then to punch the man – so he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I really, really have to appologize. I titally forgot to post this here as well, but feedback is still welcome...

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it. This fic will also be posted on Fanfiction.net-


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